Dragon Ball Z: Mirai Nisei
by Ehwaz-Ansuz-Kano
Summary: M. Trunks returns to his apocalyptic world only to discover how much the Androids had truly damaged his timeline. He tries his best to better those left, losing hope gradually until he's forced to return to the Z-fighter's timeline. Will he find the strength to persevere that M Gohan had and can he change his timeline for the better? Strong language, violence, and adult material.
1. Chapter 1: Dreams and Gangs

_There was the blonde blue eyed Android Eighteen and dark haired Seventeen not ten feet away. He had never seen them in person, always through the television or in the photos in the paper. Trunks tensed and glanced at Gohan. His mentor looked unfazed to any unobservant bystander but Trunks knew him well enough to know he was struggling with the same hopelessness he felt. These Androids were just too much for them and they both knew it, but they also knew they had no other alternative, neither of them was a coward who could turn away from helping others to save themselves._

_Gohan gave him a sharp look, one that clearly signified he was to hang back until absolutely needed. Trunks hoped he wouldn't be needed but if Gohan was worried that didn't bode well for their chances._

_Android Seventeen saw them first; he gave a smirk that sent shivers down Trunks spine when he spotted them. How could a monster like that smile? How could he possibly know any form of happiness given how easily he'd deprived others of their futures? He hated that smile and though he was afraid and had trained his entire life for this moment thirteen year old Trunks was determined to wipe that smirk off Seventeen's face._

_Gohan flew towards them and he resolved to be ready if Gohan needed him. Seventeen regarded Gohan as if he was a fly to be crushed, "Well, well, well, I remember you. Long time no see." _

_The cordial tone and smile were nerve racking and infuriating. Here were the two people who had taken everything from Gohan acting as if they were friends, it was sickening and disrespectful. Trunks couldn't understand the Androids; their lack of emotions but enjoyment in killing was repulsive and their disregard for everything and everyone._

_Gohan's derision was evident in his caustic reply, "I don't have time for games, Android, I'm here to finish you once and for all."_

"_How arrogant," Eighteen mocked, pushing her blonde hair behind her ear._

"_Games are the only thing that matters," Seventeen's smile widened as he cocked his head ever so slightly to the side. "Don't you agree, Eighteen?"_

"_Let's teach this human to enjoy games," she clenched her hand into a fist. The two Androids went in for the attack as Trunks watched in fear. Seventeen threw a punch, but Gohan, quick in Saiyan form, dodged and kneed him in the gut. Eighteen used this moment to slam Gohan over the head, sending him spiraling into the ground. The crack of his bones as he hit the hard roadside made Trunks grit his teeth. How could Gohan lose to these monsters? Gohan was the strongest and bravest person he knew; he couldn't lose, he just couldn't._

_In a few seconds Gohan was back on his feet, his somber face unreadable as he regarded the Androids. Eighteen looked pleased as she winked and came at Gohan a second time. He dodged her beam of energy and sent one of his own at her but she parried it away._

"_Watch out Eighteen's behind you!" He screamed, hoping to give Gohan an advantage. Gohan turned in time to see Eighteen and be blasted straight into the nearest building. Trunks scowled and clenched his fists as Seventeen spotted him and glared._

"_Stay out of this punk."_

"_Who invited you kid?" Eighteen asked as she landed near him. "You want to have a little fun too?"_

_He started when Gohan rushed Eighteen and sent her into the towering skyscraper behind him. Gohan grabbed his arm sharply and up they flew. Gohan had blood dripping down the side of his temple, but his clothes bore the blunt of the attack. Seventeen and Eighteen for whatever reason didn't bother to follow them._

"_Are you alright, Gohan?"_

"_I'm fine Trunks. Don't get involved again, they are too powerful for you."_

"_I was just trying to help you. They outmatched you with the two of them together."_

"_I know."_

"_Then why risk your life?" He knew the reason why. Gohan couldn't do nothing while the Androids destroyed cities and people, he was just too compassionate to sit and wait until Trunks was strong enough to help. Gohan stared straight ahead for several moments; frown deepening his face and making him appear much older than he was._

"_Trunks, I can always get away from the Androids if I am losing too badly, but you… Don't do anything rash like that next time. One of these days you'll be a Saiyan like me and the Androids won't be able to win any longer. We just need time, okay."_

"_Gotcha Gohan."_

_Bulma came outside the minute she spotted them and smothered him in her embrace. He inhaled her perfume; glad today hadn't been the last he'd ever be hugged by her. He pushed her away as embarrassed as he was glad to see her because Gohan was here._

"_I'm fine Mom."_

"_Don't you ever go off again, Mister, this isn't a game."_

"_The Androids think it's a game," Gohan said._

"_Oh Gohan don't encourage him. I mean it." Gohan looked away. They all knew how hard this was for Bulma and themselves. It wasn't easy for Gohan to rely on Trunks when he was a kid and Trunks knew it hurt his pride because he wanted to defeat the Androids on his own to avenge his family and friends. Gohan wasn't trying to endanger Bulma's only family left, but there really was no choice._

"_I made dinner," she said, changing the topic since the silence was uncomfortable. "You must be starving after that fight. How's your head Gohan?"_

"_Don't worry about me."_

"_Trunks didn't fight, did he?"_

"_I wouldn't let him unless absolutely necessary Bulma."_

"_Good. Let's go eat." Trunks fidgeted in his seat as Bulma finished dinner. Gohan seemed lost in his thoughts and Trunks wasn't sure he was open to a carefree conversation after having just fought the Androids anyway._

"_Here you go," Bulma set the rice down and Gohan began shoving it in. Trunks smiled as Gohan began to relax again._

"_So we need to go out for a run for supplies again," Bulma pointed out._

"_Gohan do you want to come with me?"_

"_Sure, I could use a few things myself."_

"_I made a list of things we need. Take the car so you don't have to carry it all."_

"_Okay."_

"_Gohan?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_See that Trunks doesn't do anything…" She paused but the implication was clear. "I know how you like to gallivant around town." Trunks looked away, knowing she was giving him that stern guilt tripping look._

_Gohan laughed, "I was the same way when I was a kid."_

"_Yes but you're an adult now and besides given the situation I am sure you won't let him do anything dangerous." Gohan raised his hands in a defeated gesture and nodded eagerly to appease Bulma's worry._

"_Oh look what we have here?" The voices were the Androids, Trunks realized immediately, it was impossible to forget the unfeeling tones in their voices. He stood as Gohan did. "We found them Eighteen," Seventeen stated as he kicked the door in. It fell off the hinges and onto the floor. Bulma gave an indignant squawk. The house was already in poor shape, it didn't need to be roughed up anymore. _

"_The Androids," Gohan went Saiyan and turned to Bulma. "Get out of here." Bulma grabbed Trunks' arm and turned him to the window. Trunks nearly jumped out of his skin when Eighteen appeared in the window. _

_She smiled, "Time to finish this." _

_Her hand glowed and she smirked devilishly, her soulless eyes sending Trunks into a panic. Bulma was right behind him and Gohan was fighting Seventeen. He heard Gohan go crashing into the stove without having to see it. His blood went cold and fear gripped him as Eighteen jumped through the window. _

_Seventeen came over, "One down, two to go." Both Androids raised their arms and pointed their fingers at him. He flinched as energy blasts went straight towards him._

Trunks opened his eyes and let out a deep breath. His muscles were tense and there was sweat on his brow. The room felt uncomfortably hot as he flung the blankets off. He lay for a long moment staring at the ceiling. These distorted nightmares of his memories were too much lately. They were emotionally draining and given the physical exhaustion of his waking hours were making his life hell.

He sat up, wondering if a walk and some fresh air might help. He checked the time on his wristwatch as he put it on, only 1:20 am. He still had a few hours until he needed to be up, but he knew if he tried to sleep at the moment dreams would overwhelm him again. He threw a jacket over his tank top and pulled his boots on. He left the ruined home he shared with Bulma, careful not to wake her up in the process. The wilderness hummed with life, birds chirped and predators stalked prey.

He put his hands into his pockets and walked for some time. He could make out the moon behind some ominous clouds, it looked like rain. He hated the rain because it always reminded him of Gohan's demise.

Finding walking dissatisfying he took to the skies and decided to head to the nearest city. Pepper City was pretty close so he went there, he landed near the night district and began walking among the populous. Pepper City was still in ruins from the Androids as were most of the major cities. Most were abandoned all together with only some orphans, stranglers, and scavengers remaining inside the city limits. The only people who bothered to wander about Pepper City at this hour were criminals or drunks.

Trunks scowled when he spotted the nearest bar. Electricity was all but a thing of the past, most electric companies had been destroyed and aside from a few Capsule Corp buildings and the occasional factory almost everything had come to a halt. Minor cities and small communities were fine for the most part but the lack of housing space, resources, and livelihood for the misplaced populous had resulted in high crime rates, unemployment, and deaths. Hospitals and pharmacies had been raided and emptied quickly and the lack of medical supplies was only now becoming apparent as cramped quarters, poor sanitation, and malnourishment rose.

He had hoped at first with the Androids defeat that the rebuilding of his timeline would be swift. He'd thought things would start to look up, he hadn't known how wrong he'd been. Yes, the Android threat was gone and no one was dying from them, but other problems arose from all the destruction wrought by the Androids and the lack of planning to support all of the misplaced people.

Food supplies and water were low as well. Many people had taken to agricultural jobs given the food shortage and the lack of any other available occupancy. Police enforcement had been wiped out by the Androids alongside the army and the few remaining officers had been killed in rioting or similar situations. Scavengers took up the task of getting supplies out of half collapsed buildings and lost their lives daily doing so. Those with supplies charged outrageous prices and Trunks had heard of rioters killing a merchant who jacked his prices up too much.

Thinking of all the devastation of the buildings and the uncertain futures of those around him Trunks wasn't surprised that some folks took to drinking their troubles away. He went into the bar and blinked in the candle lit gloom. The smell of liquor was overpowering. He sat at the nearest table and waited for the waitress to come over.

Two beefy bodyguards stood at the entrance and another sat on a stool near the barkeep. He knew how necessary such measures were given all the rioting. Pepper City may have lost most of its residents but the one's remaining were a rowdy and unsavory bunch.

The waitress, a black haired girl no older than fifteen who Trunks had become familiar with given how often he frequented the bar, was making her way to his table. Age restriction labor laws had all but gone out the window given there was no police enforcement left. "Hey, Trunks, the usual?"

"Yes, orange soda."

"Think we might be out. I'll see what we have though."

He leaned back in his seat, observing the others in the bar. It was a quiet night from the looks of things. Three men sat at the counter with a few shattered around at tables. He relaxed a little at the sight of a quiet evening. It was rare the bar wasn't packed and rowdy.

He let a breath out and contemplated calling it an early night after he drank his soda. The waitress came back a few minutes later and set the soda down, "No orange but we have grape."

"That works, thanks Melanie." Grape soda had been Gohan's favorite. He pushed away the flood of memories that would overtake him if he dwelled too long on his former mentor and instead tuned into the music coming from the stage. With no electricity karaoke had become popular and most songs that were sung were butchered and sang from memory.

Years the Androids had terrorized Earth and only an uneasy year of troubles had followed since their demise. Trunks leaned onto his elbow, drinking slowly from the grape pop and watching the inebriated customers. It was the usual crowd at this hour. If you weren't an alcoholic nowadays you didn't bother visiting a bar given how pricy all booze had become. Liquor had been one of the first things affected by the price hikes because of the increased usage. Without electricity and with ruined homes and dead loved one's in every neighborhood drinking was the only way to pass the time and forget old memories.

The same old man sat in the furthest corner, gray head buried in his dirty jacket. Trunks knew from other patrons that his son and grandchildren had been some of the first killed by the Androids while the old man had been out of town. When he'd returned he'd sold his house and most of his processions and taken to drinking his sorrows away.

At the counter were three friends. They'd told him their story once. They'd gone fishing together in a neighboring town and the Androids had attacked and destroyed their lives. One had lost a fiancée, the other a daughter, and the last his grandma and mother. The guy who'd lost his fiancée had eventually moved on and married and had kids, but the other two hadn't done much in their lives but work to pay for their drinking habits.

Sitting to the right of Trunks' table was an older woman. He'd heard she hadn't lost anyone in Pepper City, but that she'd been an alcoholic before the Androids. She had disgusted him at first, but then he'd heard the other customers tended to taunt her on a regular basis. The waitress Melanie had informed him that her life had fallen apart before the Androids when her husband divorced her and her career had taken a nosedive.

He wasn't particularly interested in any of the regulars though. He was waiting for the rough gang members to show up. For over a month now they had started to frequent this bar and Trunks had done likewise, anxious that the gang would show up and start trouble.

The gang had started up over seven years ago as a response to the Android threat. It had been mostly young boys between twelve and eighteen, orphans and occasional runaways who'd been lucky to survive and as the orphans had grown and acquired larger territory, more weapons, and more recruits their renown had grown. They'd started calling themselves the Memorialia in remembrance of all those who had died and wore black armbands (Trunks knew as sign of mourning) now was a sign of terror to most.

Trunks had met a few of the gang's members under bad circumstances growing up but he'd never had the time of day for dealing with them. The Android threat had always been the bigger problem but seeing how quickly the gang had gone from a group of twenty boys to a membership of over a thousand he'd grown nervous. Gang wars were all too common in this dystopian future of his and ever alarming by the sheer multitude of the death toll.

The only other gang in Pepper City was the Laburrak gang. They had been around longer than the Memorialia gang but they were only seven hundred strong from what little Trunks knew of them. They mostly traded in drugs whereas the Memorialia was predominaitely protection for businesses and prostition. Both gangs were sources of victimizing and suffering to the small number of inhabitants left in Pepper City. The city at it's height had once been over 1,000,000 but given the Android attacks and then the abandonment to the country and deaths since had been reduced to a mere 9,000. The populous were at the mercy of disease, starvation, and lately more and more violent gang fights. It was a tragedy in Trunks opinion and one he intended to rectify starting whenever the gang showed up.

Trunks crossed his arms and let boredom sink in. Maybe he should forget about this tonight, it didn't seem like they planned on showing up. He stifled a yawn, wondering if he went home if he'd be able to get some sleep in. Too many nights with minimal sleep was getting to him and the hectic training of day was wearing him out without a good night's rest.

"Hey lords and ladies," the voice wasn't recognizable but Trunks stiffened when he saw the men enter and head towards a table. They sat in the middle of the bar and immediately let off an attitude of owning the building that was unmistakable. He spotted the armbands and a gun under one of the men's jackets. So they had arrived, now his night could begin in honest.

Melanie approached them cautiously and he could see her forced smile all the way from here. "Hey cutie, a whole bottle of vodka. I am paying!"

Cheers issued from the others at this and orders for beer and other liquor quickly followed. Their complete disregard for the other patrons and pointed innuendo towards the fifteen year old Melanie was enough to drive even the most carefree up the wall. Trunks wasn't that sort and immediately his blood was boiling. Oh this was going to be sweet.

One of the guys tried to grab her butt but she quickly slipped away to the counter. Trunks stood, disregarding the barkeep, the bodyguard, and Melanie's alarmed faces. He tapped the nearest goon on the shoulder. The delayed response didn't surprise him as the man turned, saw him, gave him a brief what the heck look, and went back to his friends.

He tapped him on the shoulder a second time. "What the hell do you want kid?" The man was in his early twenties so calling Trunks a kid was more than a little laughable.

"I don't appreciate you and your friends coming here and harassing innocent people," he put emphasis on the word friends as he glared at the gathered gang members. "I actually don't approve of your entire Memorialia group."

"Group?" One of the men laughed, "Do you realize who you are talking to?"

"I am perfectly aware of the sort of lowborn scum I am wasting my breath on. I suggest two things to you. First tell me where the Memorialia headquarters is located and secondly get out of this bar if you know what's good for you."

"Big words from a little man like you and all alone too. You must have a suicide wish."

"Pull that gun out and you'll see which of us has the suicide wish," Trunks snapped when the nearest gang member's hand moved closer to the gun tucked into his pants.

"I'm not scared of a little bitch like you," he roared as he drew the gun, aimed, and fired. Trunks didn't even bother dodging, he wasn't playing around or going to pretend in front of these lowlifes.

"Do you realize yet what you are dealing with?" He calmly met the horrified faces of the crowd, giving the gun wielder a malicious glare. "I think you should put that toy away before someone gets hurt, don't you agree?"

"Like hell I will," he fired the rest of the chamber, his eyes wide as he asborded the lack of holes in Trunks. Sweat was building on his forehead and his hand was shaking. "What are you?"

"Someone you can't beat in a million years," Trunks answered with a ghost of a smile. He moved quickly, grabbing the gun and using it to hit the gang member over the head. He slumped in pain in his chair, blood dribbling down his forehead and onto his pristine white hoody. "You should have listened to me and put the toy away before anyone got hurt." He crushed the metal in his hand, eliciting feared gasps at his inhuman strength.

"You're a monster!" He nearly jumped out of his skin at being called that. He couldn't even count how many times he'd referred to or thought of the Androids as monsters, as machines meant only to murder like a gun and to suddenly find himself being derogatively called this, especially by a person who used women as forced objects of sexual gratification and did other such atrocities was beyond his comprehension. He glared and he was sure if looks could kill the man would have been dead as quickly as he'd cut down Frieza.

"You are going to tell me what I want to know," Trunks said this with such sober sincerity he could tell its immediate unnerving affect worked.

"We'll tell you anything you want to know," one guy blurted out only to be punched in the face by his comrade.

"Shut up, you joined the same as the rest of us, we don't betray our own."

"But he's gonna kill us, like literally kill us."

"He's bluffing."

"You think I'm bluffing," Trunks cocked an eyebrow in annoyance and raised his arm. He let loose an energy ball against the nearest wall. It wasn't enough to damage the foundations but it was enough to terrify the defiant ones before him.

"Please don't kill us," the man, probably no older than seventeen, dropped to his knees and hung his head. "You guys said no one messed with the Memorialia gang, that we wouldn't have to worry about−."

It was clear by how quiet and disapproving the others were that this boy was a new recruit and not hardened by experiences of life in a gang yet. One of his comrades grabbed him and started whispering frantically in his ear, no doubt promises of punishment should he betray them. Trunks grabbed the boy and friend and picked them up off their feet.

"Tell me where you're headquarters is. Now before I get really angry."

"It's on 811 West Enbor street!"

"Enbor street?" Trunks smiled, "thanks." He dropped the kid to the ground and gestured to the entrance. "Get out of here now."

"Bastard," said the first coward to run to the door and exit. Trunks watched the rest reluctantly follow. So far so good, Trunks thought, now he'd go home for the night and assure Bulma he was alright and deal with the menace that was the Memorialia gang tomorrow.

* * *

I started watching DBZ again, haven't seen it since childhood and M. Trunks really left an impression on me. I also started GT but not too impressed with Pan tbh, though I know she has a large following, I couldn't stand her for many reasons so just going to let folks know now this isn't going to be a Pan/Trunks story. Pan will make an appearance and might even meet M. Trunks (don't want to give too much away here) but no romance. Plus is no one grossed out by the age difference? Isn't it like 13 years age difference? I know some fics change it so whatever but the fics that don't bother always make me go ew when Pan's 14 or 15 and current or M. Trunks is trying to hook up with her.

I've read stories on here where Mirai Trunks goes to the Z-fighter's timeline and stays there, but I haven't found any I enjoyed or found believable. I mean M. Trunks wanted to save both timelines, not kill the Androids and then leave his timeline defenseless in the face of possible new enemies (few stories I've read give him valid reasons for leaving his timeline even), which is why I find M. Trunks goes to Z-fighters timeline and stays there so OOC for him. I won't rant any longer, if anyone knows any good M. Trunks stories point me in the direction cause I am dying from Trunks withdrawals.

Note: Endor street means Trunks in Barque, Google translation though so if it's wrong forgive me :) Also title stands for Future/Mirai and Nisei is second generation aka what Trunks and Gohan are. Also this story is going to be pretty dark, I know M. Trunks timeline can go either way tbh when it comes to the apocalyptic element. They still had some civilization left like cars when Trunks killed Cell and History of Trunks still had some cities standing so I imagine it wasn't all gone or anything. Some writers go the 'his timeline's all better in six months' route but I wanted to actually make it a struggle for M. Trunks and survivors. It seems unrealistic to me that the Androids went around killing and destroying cities for years without any long term consequences, DBZ isn't a paragon of realistic stuff but I aim for that in my stories, plus it just seems more interesting to have a screwed up timeline than a normal one.

I will try to update as frequently as possible but need more than one day to write 10 or so page chapters so usually weekly updates is reasonable unless I get writers block then beware. Don't worry about this being left incomplete, I have not to date done that (though I have a fic I've left hanging for some time cause I don't want to end it, but anyway please R&R and enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2: Burial

Thanks for the awesome reviews so far, surprised I have so many already.

I just want to take a moment and answer some of your reviews.

Belsareth: Probably very realistic take on the future time line, and M. Trunks also, he's not one to muck around or take any shit, and you portrayed that well.

I was definitely trying to portray M. Trunks take no shit attitude, he's the type of fighter that ends it quickly out of fear his enemy will power up and kick his ass. He's also kind of arrogant in a fight too if you look at Frieza (especially when he knows he can kick their ass) so if he comes off as slightly more arrogant than M. Trunks usually is don't worry, it's just for some fights, however I want to try and make him in character though by being polite and whatnot too.

You also said this: I do think however that Trunks would perhaps go out and help more with rebuild than what it seems like he has been doing, with his super human strength and all. All though in saying that, you didn't seem to imply that there was much of a rebuild effort in West City yet, so that makes my point null.

I am going to explain West City tbh and why Trunks isn't working on rebuilding WC in the next few episodes. Also Trunks has been helping rebuild his timeline, he isn't the type of guy to sit around and do nothing when people are struggling, I was going to flashback to his helping rebuild efforts so far so don't think he's just being lazy.

Now Simgr101: Your whole review begs me to respond. GT I am finding is crap compared to DBZ and DB and I'm only 20 episodes in. Hating the Black Star dragon saga so much right now though I need to finish DBZ before I can give a concise opinion about GT characterizations. I did like how M. Trunks and Z fighter timeline Trunks differed from each other but I haven't watched DBZ Buu sagas etc in a long time and apparently Trunks sort of changes into a more mature guy like M. Trunks but not sure what to think until I see it. The idea could sort of go either way, it might be done poorly or handled well but I will reverse judgement until I see DBZ and GT in it's entirety once more. GT Trunks is just sort of like M. Trunks and I read lots more like the manga character though I haven't read it.

I haven't watched DB in forever and can't really remember if I liked it but I started DBZ (at the Cell saga as we speak) and M. Trunks is definitely my favorite character all over again.

Shipping Pan is fine, but for the love of God it's like shipping Gohan with Bulma or Trunks with Chichi (them as kids and their parents being in their 30-40's ugh) it's just too gross to talk about. I read the age difference was like 13 years cause Trunks was born in 766 and Pan in 779 (780 in Funimation dub) and trust me I ship weird pairings a lot but 13/4 years is just too big an age gap for me to want to ship. It's not so annoying if Pan and Trunks were older to start off but people usually ship them as teenagers. It is pedophile if Pan is under 18 too which often happens in fics usually. My parents were 6 years apart and my mom's current bf is like 10 years younger but I can't get behind 14 year old Pan and a 27 year old Trunks. Nope not happening especially annoyed when people ship Pan/M. Trunks because their personalities just clash so much I can't see it even without the age gap.

Bulma is alive as evidenced by her appearance in this chapter. Sorry if I confusing people with the nightmare, I forgot to add it starts off as a memory but morphs into a dream when the Androids show up at his house.

George: I also started reading that Vegeta and M. Trunks fic last night actually. Looks pretty good, thanks for the suggestions. I can see Marron/Trunks because they are closer in age. Honestly though M. Trunks doesn't have any one to ship him with given no one was born in his timeline unless I go and ship him with Videl who is probably dead anyway…but that is all kinds of weird to me cause it's still ten years for age gap and she was with Gohan. I just am not going there. I don't even know if I'll end up shipping him with anyone, but I realize he needs to get with someone and have kids and M. Trunks isn't exactly a player so I'll have to pair him with someone when the time comes.

I am not shipping Melanie and Trunks if you are worried, though he'll obviously have to end up with an OC just because of his timeline. I refuse to pair him with someone in the Z fighters timeline because that's just all kinds of tragic and M. Trunks wouldn't start a relationship with someone in that timeline and leave them afterwards.

Yes M. Trunks trains, I can't imagine him being stupid enough not to since he's the only Saiyan in his timeline and if he dies a second time he's gone for good. Trust me flashbacks are coming to reveal more of M. Trunks life with the Androids, Gohan, and his rebuilding and training since.

End note: My M. Trunks story is going to be pretty dark but I hope I can also capture the hopeful spirit of the Z fighters in later chapters so it isn't too depressing. M. Trunks timeline just dictates a dark outcome though to me so…enjoy.

* * *

"Trunks," he turned to see Melanie's worried expression. "What were you thinking?"

"I was taking care of the problem. They won't trouble anyone here again." Trunks noticed the frightened look of the patrons, some already quietly inching towards the doorway. He glared and the cowards fled out the door. Melanie grabbed him a grape soda as he sat at the counter.

"That wasn't wise junior," Walter the barkeep said.

"What wasn't wise was them picking this location," Trunks shot back, ignoring the old man's disapproving look in favor of eyeballing the countertop.

"They are going to come back and with a lot more of them next time," Melanie said, voicing the fear Trunks knew was on their minds.

"Don't give it another thought. Tomorrow their little gang will be a smudge in the history books," he took a drink of soda. "If history even bothers to remember them."

"Your arrogance is really astonishing kid," Lenny the bodyguard admonished.

"Sometimes you have to prove to your enemies they can't walk all over you," that was something Gohan had instilled in him growing up. Bullies only thrived if given free rein to do so and their arrogance was easily deflated if someone else was as confident around them.

"You started a war," Walter said morosely, "and put my bar at the center of it. What do you intend to do about it?"

"You saw me back there, didn't you? I intend to crush that gang like the nagging insects they are. Ever since the Androids fell their acts of violence have increased and I won't allow them to keep terrorizing people. They aren't any better than those robots."

"I agree," Melanie smiled, "but how do you plan to stop them? They outnumber you by 10 to 1."

"I can blast them all to pieces if I have to, but I don't want to kill most of them. Some of them are just kids being suckered into the schemes of the real bad guys. I am going for the snake's head, that's why I wanted the location of their headquarters."

"You're going for the leader?" Lenny looked stunned, "I know you are strong, Trunks, you just proved that you aren't…" He fell silent, seeming to try to find an appropriate word.

"I'm not human, but I'm no monster like the Androids if that's what you are thinking." Trunks was usually careful about revealing his powers and especially his Saiyan ancestry but there had been no other way to get the gang to give him the info he desired. He'd tried spying on them last time they'd come into the bar but they'd revealed nothing of importance and he hadn't been willing to wait for them to make a third appearance, it had already been three weeks since their last visit and who knew if they'd show up a third time. He'd taken matters into his own hands and like it or not a few others knew about his abilities now. It didn't faze him much, the patrons who had seen probably wouldn't come back out of fear and Melanie, Lenny, and Walter, though not what he'd call friends, weren't blabbermouths. Who would they tell anyway in this timeline? A few family and friends who wouldn't believe them? No, there was nothing to worry about.

"So you are what exactly?"

"Well…an alien I guess."

"You don't look like an alien," Melanie gave him a quizzical look, "aren't aliens usually ugly?"

"Not necessarily. The race I come from look human like. It doesn't matter. What's important is I have the gang's whereabouts and am going to pay them a visit tomorrow."

"Why wait until tomorrow?" Lenny questioned, folding his arms across his chest.

"My mother is expecting me home tonight," he said this somewhat sheepishly. He'd never told them about Bulma before as he didn't trust revealing information about her and he'd never really talked to them like this before. Strangers' usually made him uneasy, a trait his mother often joked he'd gotten from Vegeta though having met Vegeta he couldn't see how she'd gotten to that conclusion. Vegeta was more outgoing than anyone he'd ever met next to his mom and uneasiness towards strangers seemed unlikely, maybe it was more annoyance of anyone that wasn't close to him? He could see that, after all hadn't Vegeta expressed distrust and annoyance with him in their first encounter?

"I suppose you do have family," Walter shared a glance with Lenny, "your mother an alien too?"

"No. I'm surprised you are all taking this so well."

"After the Androids little surprises me these days, I've seen everything in my old age." Walter ran a hand through his thinning gray hair, plucking at the hair covering his bald spot incessantly like he did when thinking. "Honestly seeing you blast those guys for a second I thought you were an android too."

"No," Trunks felt his face pale. To be compared to them even in such an inconsequential way was disgusting to him.

"That's good," Melanie leaned her elbows on the counter. "So what do we do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I suppose we should go home since the bar's empty."

"Sorry for scaring off your customers Walter."

"Oh they will be back, ain't another bar for miles that has as much product as mine. Can't find any good ale at Mike's anymore, he ran out months ago. I got the last of it and I'm proud of that." Walter gave the first genuine smile since the fight had taken place and Trunks, feeling his spirits rise again, shared in the brief moment of joy.

"I should get going."

"I suppose we should close for tonight though," Walter said, "want to help me Melanie?"

"I guess. Is my paying getting deduced for this?"

Trunks finished his soda as the two haggled over her wages and bid them all goodnight. He paused at the door, hearing Walter whisper to Melanie, "that boy's inhuman, but he's got a good heart."

"He's just causing trouble, I wouldn't trust him not to turn on us like the androids."

"I'm heading home and not coming back until the gang is actually dealt with." Lenny's fear was evident in his tone from here, "Who knows if he actually means to go through with his own suicide by attacking them. Sorry, Walt, but risking my life by working here isn't worth it. I won't stay here if the gang makes a move on the bar cause of him."

"Relax you two," Walt said discouragingly, seeing Trunks standing motionless near the entrance.

Trunks picked his feet up and left, not wanting to hear any more of their fearful ramblings. He flew towards West City, trying not to let them get to him. Here he was risking his life trying to better theirs and this is how they responded to his attempts at saving them? How ungrateful! He'd heard stories from Gohan about when he'd been younger and how people took the Z fighters for granted but he'd never expected to know the feeling. He felt like his effort was wasted and he shouldn't bother trying; deep down he knew this resentment he was feeling was temporary, they didn't know any better and to be honest how else were they expected to react when the last two androids to have the same powers as him had rampaged across Earth for years?

When he landed at the ruined Capsule Corp building his fleeting sense of worthlessness was over. They would eventually realize how valuable he was to them in time and if not what did it matter? He didn't save people for fame or glory, he did it because he felt compelled to help others whether they knew of his existence or not. After defeating the Androids he hadn't bothered to come forth as Earth's savior, instead basking in the knowledge he'd secured his timeline and the Z fighter's timeline in secrecy. What did getting acknowledged for it matter if he was doing good?

"Trunks!" He smiled as his mom took him into her arms. She was warm from being inside the house and smelled of her characteristic perfume. For a moment he let the feeling of her arms and heat embrace him, marveling at how a simple hug from his mother always managed to make everything immediately better. If Gohan or anyone else had been there he would have pushed her away by now and made a show of being fussy about her parenting, but they were alone and the trying night had worn him out.

"I'm fine, Mom, don't look so worried," he assured her.

"You oaf, you should have told me you were going out," she gave a small smile, running a hand through his hair like she'd always done when he'd been young. She wouldn't have been so maternal if anyone else was around. They were odd that way, he thought, never showing affection unless it was the two of them and most of the time they didn't bother even then. She must have been really worried to be showing so much concern physically.

"Really," he added, going around her into the house as his awkwardness increased. It was fine every once and a while to be mothered but sometimes Bulma could get suffocating especially since he knew any minute she was going to hound him about where he'd been.

"Trunks?" Bulma already had tea in the kettle on the stove, he noticed as he took a seat at the rickety table.

"Yeah?"

"Where were you?"

He looked away from her worried blue eyes, noting all the nicks in the table from years of use. He remembered putting some of them there in his younger years, most from boredom as he waited for Gohan or sat alone without any entertainment. The electricity available at Capsule Corp was something his mother had managed to keep going due to her genius in machines but television had been mostly android reports and the occasional reruns growing up so that hadn't kept him entertained long.

"Tea sounds good," he finally said. She sat across from him, crossing her arms as she waited for a real answer. Trunks knew with Bulma she expected honesty but he wasn't feeling in the mood to tell her of his adventurous night and listening to her lecture him about being foolhardy. All he wanted was a good night's sleep and feeling as accomplished as he did at the moment seem like it might actually happen.

"I went for a walk." It was his usual reply to her inquire and true most of the time. What else was there to do beside train and get some air? There wasn't exactly a beautiful carefree world outside.

Bulma uncrossed her arms, a sign of relenting with her. "You can be honest with me, dear, you know that."

"Mom let it go."

"If you feel you can't trust me…" He'd been waiting for the guilt trip to start. Bulma should have been a psychiatrist given how much she liked to twist his arm and use his emotions against him at times like these.

The kettle went off, saving him for a few moments as she poured them both cups. Trunks drank his slowly, wincing as the tea scorned his tongue on the first gulp. He set it aside to cool as Bulma had already wisely done.

"Well?"

"I was busy."

"Doing what?"

"Can we not argue at three in the morning?"

"It's almost four," she corrected, "and we will argue when I say we argue. Are you getting into trouble?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm only concerned about your well being. You've been acting strange lately." He wouldn't meet her eye, wondering if his behavior had really been out of the ordinary.

"You haven't been sleeping much," when had he ever? "And you're constantly leaving at weird hours of the night." That one was more on par with his activities of going to the bar and trying to stop the gang violence in the area. "I make wonderful meals too and you hardly eat a thing!"

He winced at her harsh tone, "Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Her outrage only increased, "you keep leaving for days on end to train in the wilderness too! What am I supposed to think? You haven't been the same since you returned from the past. At first I thought the change was great, you seemed so happy to have met Vegeta, Goku, and the others, you were so full of hope but now…now I just don't know what to think."

He let out a breath, trying to think up a response that would appease her. "Mom," he kept his eyes settled on his steaming teacup. "I've been training a lot. I realized when I went back in time just how powerless I really was against any enemies which might attack Earth. If someone as strong as prefect Cell ever came it would be futile unless I was stronger. That's why I've been training so much."

"What about your nightly escapades and look me in the eye when you talk to me!"

He lifted his gaze to hers and sighed, "I've been busy."

"So you said. Training at night too? You are going to wear yourself out doing that."

"No."

"I know. You haven't been eating, you're heads been in the clouds, oh Trunks I'm so happy!"

"Huh?" He was sure she could see only astonishment on his face.

"You finally got yourself a girlfriend!" His cheeks went red at that pronouncement. What hogwash!

"Don't get any ideas, it's nothing of the sort."

"Don't you dare try and weasel you're way out of telling me every detail. What's her name, age, is she cute? Tell me everything. How did you meet her?" He felt bad but he was going to have to burst her bubble, sooner rather than later was best. He knew how desirous she was that he start dating and produce grandchildren immediately, but Trunks had his own reasons for ignoring the opposite sex.

"There isn't a girlfriend. If you must know," he ducked his head, knowing the truth was going to get him a scolding of a lifetime, "I've been tracking these gang members from Pepper City in hopes of getting to their leader and ending their regime."

For a long moment Bulma just stared at him blankly, then in disbelief, and finally in rage. "Trunks Briefs!"

"I had to. They were hurting people."

"It isn't your responsibility to get involved in all the evils of the world."

"Whose is it then? You really think I should just stand aside and let atrocities happen when I can prevent them with my Saiyan powers?"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?" Her exaggerated look cut him like a sword, it was so reminiscent of the way she'd look at him whenever he'd wanted to stop the Androids. He couldn't take that look. "I'm going to bed."

He didn't even bother finishing his tea or sparing her another word. He went straight to his bedroom door and locked it behind him. He leaned against his doorframe, trying to relax from the fight. She had meant well, he knew this, and he'd end up apologizing tomorrow once he'd cooled down. It was just so frustrating when he was trying to do something good and she nagged him about his own safety despite him being a Saiyan. He wasn't invincible he knew this even better than she did given his death in the Z fighter's timeline, but how could she think a few street thugs were capable of beating him?

He went over to his bed, removing his boots, sword, and jacket on the floor. He settled onto the bed, closing his eyes, trying not to remember the harsh words of earlier. Why did it seem whenever something was going good for him that immediately something terrible followed? He was sick of it.

He let a breath out, hoping that dreams wouldn't disrupt his slumber too. That would take the cake.

He awake groggily, blinking in the sunlight the curtains didn't block out. He yawned, rolling onto his side and moving his numb legs. He closed his eyes, hoping he might catch a few more minutes, but gave up when sleep eluded him. He sat up, rubbing a hand through his hair as he stood. He walked to the kitchen. Bulma was humming as she made pancakes. She smiled when she saw him, the fight of last night forgotten in her bright eyes.

"Hungry, son?"

"Yes. Pancakes huh? I was hoping for eggs."

"The chickens just aren't cooperating lately."

"That bites. What time is it?"

"Around noon."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Was I supposed to? I thought you might like to sleep in. You don't do it enough."

"I guess that's fine." He sat down and stretched his legs under the table as she shuffled about the kitchen making food.

"You should try to go to bed earlier," she said simply as she set the pancakes onto a plate in front of him.

"I'll try," he knew her cooking was her way of saying sorry for last night. He let it go, it was already forgotten. "I should eat quick and go, I have a long day ahead of me."

"Why's that? Training?"

"No, ridding the world of garbage today."

"Trunks."

"Mom." The two stubborn Brief's stared at each other for several uncomfortable moments.

"Be careful."

"I always am cautious," it was true enough, he never took risks he knew he couldn't win since the Androids and that was a matter of saving thousands.

"I know." Bulma sat across from him and began picking at her pancake. He could tell as he finished his food that something was bothering her still. Was it last night? He hoped she'd let it go too, but apparently not.

"I'll be back later," he called from his bedroom as he retrieved the things.

"Come home soon."

"You worry too much Mother."

"I'm only concerned you don't spend enough time here, that's all Trunks. You've been so restless since the past."

He shrugged noncommittally, uncertain of what she wanted him to say, and left. He landed in Pepper City around two. He paused outside the bar. The window was broken. What happened? A drunken bar brawl? But why when most of the daytime customers weren't coming around given last night?

Trunks felt a sting of fear in his chest for the first time in over a year. No, they wouldn't have come back last night, right? He entered the bar and paused in the entrance to survey the destruction. Tables had been overturned and two chairs were broken. Trunks approached the counter and saw the back bar. Blood was dripping down the middle of the mirror though the decorative mirror and bottles were intact.

"No," Trunks murmured to himself, stunned by what he was seeing. He hopped over the counter and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Walter's body. He was lying with his face towards the back bar, flat out on his stomach. It was clear to Trunks as he crunched down next to him that Walter had still been alive when he'd fallen. His right arm was bent awkwardly while his left was stuffed in his pocket, his legs were arrayed as if he'd been kneeling. Trunks wasn't an expert so he wasn't sure if Walter had died from blood lose or what, but it was noticeable that he had suffered up until his last breath.

"No," he took a shaky breath, "no, this can't be happening. I didn't mean for this." He had hoped never to see another body again. He'd had not seen a body since the Androids. Gohan's death had been earth shattering for him and to see Walter lying dead like this was reviving the horrible memories.

He gingerly touched Walter's shoulder, steeled his frayed nerves, and flipped him onto his back. He couldn't look at Walter's blood stained chest where the gunshot wound was or his lifeless eyes. He found a napkin on the countertop and placed it over Walter's face.

He got to his feet and went outside. He only realized he was shaking now as he tried to slow his breathing back to normal. He hadn't meant for this to happen. Walter had been an innocent man. It was his fault, if he hadn't attacked the gang last night they wouldn't have retaliated and done this to Walter last night or if he hadn't delayed his plans on going to their headquarters or if he'd only gotten back sooner. What if's swirled around his head as he stared up at the nearly cloudless blue sky. Why was it so sunny out today? Was that meant to mock this man's sacrifice? Just as the rain had mocked Gohan's passing by masking his tears?

Trunks grit his teeth painfully together and clutched his fist as he went to the back of the building. The first touch of a warm summer was in the air and it was infuriating. He stood for a moment incisively, trying to recall memories of Walter. He hadn't known him long but he still had a few short memories of the man. So where exactly would he like to be buried? In the sun or the shade?

"_Oh my boy?"_

"_What was he like?" Trunks asked, he was bored and needing some socializing to keep his mind on other things than when the gang would turn up again._

"_Hal was great. When I was younger, before the Androids that is, well we had a nice place on Broadway street. A small house for sure, but that didn't matter. My wife had passed away by the time Hal was eight so it was just me and him, but that was the best time of my life. Hal would run around the town with his friends, hit on a lot of the older girls, you know he got to be a kid, most don't get that nowadays," here Walter cast a glance at Melanie. "She's bright, before the Androids she could have been an obnoxious girl I'd yell at to get away from my house. College kids always getting drunk and puking in my yard, I hated that, now well maybe I'd let it go, you know?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_I remember in summer I'd sit outside despite the heat and watch Hal playing in the yard out front. I'd always sit in the shade of the great Maple tree we had. My dad planted that tree, I spent years watching it grow as I did and then Hal. Hal always wanted to climb the damn thing, I made sure he didn't cause I was afraid he'd hurt himself. Sometimes I hated the things I denied him after he was gone."_

"_How'd he die?"_

"_Hal died before the Androids. Car crash…took my sister and him from me. That was so long ago now. Sometimes I'm glad Hal passed before the Androids, other times…" Walt was starting to tear up Trunks realized as he apologized and stared awkwardly into his glass._

The shade then. There weren't any trees back here, but the adjacent buildings provided some shadows which would do the job. He knelt down and began tearing at the earth with his hands. He only thought about blasting a hole with his energy later when he was more rational. At the moment it felt good to dig, to let his pent up frustration and hopelessness out by work. His nails were chipping as he pulled out weeds and roots, but he paid no heed. How tall was Walter again? Trunks knew he was five feet six inches tall and Walt was just a few inches taller but no more than six feet surely. He made it slightly longer than he thought it needed to be and deep enough so Walt wouldn't resurface if a storm ever struck.

He was breathing laboriously when he finished, his hands caked in dirt and his sleeves dusty along with his trousers. He stood and examined the grave, wondering if someday someone would be digging his own. The thought was terrible on so many levels, if he ever died again the dragons balls didn't exist in his own timeline so he wouldn't be able to be wished back and even if they were around he was doomed to death for eternity regardless because a person couldn't be wished back more than once. The worse part for him though was that fact he'd leave Earth defenseless without him and the very idea something even half as bad as the Androids happening again could occur was terrifying even to someone like him. He'd let enough people down in both timelines to never want to be unable to assist again.

Walter. He went back to the bar, dragging his feet. He paused outside the door, staring up at the sign. The bright red letters against the black backdrop of the sign wasn't very heartwarming. Hal's Lounge it read in remembrance of his son and now he was going to bury the father in the backyard. He wished that he knew where Hal had been buried so he could unite them in death, but knew it was impossible at the moment.

Trunks took a deep breath, the smell inside the bar wasn't just liquor anymore, and went inside. He knelt beside Walter. He immediately felt that same sense of regret, guilt, and hopelessly.

He spotted the shotgun lying beside the body. He must have overlooked it last time given the circumstance. He picked it up and checked the barrel, inside was one unused bullet. He dropped it into his hand and frowned, Walt had put up a fight, brave old man that he was. Trunks was proud. He tucked the bullet into his pants pocket as a token of remembrance. He put the shotgun on top of Walter's chest and secured his arms about it to hold it.

He picked Walter up. He was just dead weight in his arms, his head rolled back and the napkin fluttered to the ground. Trunks resisted the urge to vomit, he'd buried bodies before over the years, people the Androids had murdered and left for dead. Most humans didn't survive the blasts, disintegrating in the process, but a few died by less merciful means and Trunks had not been heartless enough to just leave them to the elements. It was the only thing he'd really been able to do for them after the attacks when he'd been useless against the Androids. He thought time would make it easier, but every time burying someone, even if he didn't know them in life, was painful. No one deserved to die by the hand of others, exception being maniacs like the Androids who were heartless beings of destruction who couldn't be stopped any other way.

He cradled Walter's cold body closely, no doubt he'd died in agony in a pool of his own blood. Whoever had shot him hadn't bothered to be merciful and end his pain. Trunks wouldn't forgive them for this. The Memorialia gang would pay for ending life of a good man.

He was careful lying the body down, positioning his head gently as if he were still alive. He folded Walter's hands over his chest and hesitated, that didn't look like Walter and instead tucked his hands into his pockets. The old man had always leaned against the bar with his hands in his pocket, jabbing with anyone who came up to the counter. That was how Trunks had gotten into a conversation with him when he wasn't very sociable with strangers.

Sorry old man, he thought morosely as he contemplating finding something to cover Walter with. He found a curtain inside and placed it neatly over Walter. He set about piling the dirt on, arms trembling slightly as Walter disappeared from view. He didn't realize he was crying until the dirt was compact and no view remained of the bartender. He smoothed the dirt as best as possible. He blasted a hole next to the grave and set the shotgun in the hole, making sure it stood upright. It wasn't much of a grave marker but Walter might have appreciated it if he'd been there to do so.

Trunks sat for a long time just staring at the grave. He wasn't crying anymore but tears were drying on his cheeks. He rubbed them away, he was careful no one else was here to see him like this. He had cried in front of Gohan once about the Androids and murder but that had been a long time ago and he'd thought he was above being so sentimental. Vegeta would have laughed and called him weak, Goku might have been more lenient and just smiled and Gohan…well… He took a breath, trying to dispel the memories of his childhood, it seemed like Gohan's murder always resurfaced when he was faced with death.

He stood, dusting off his butt and front as best he could. His hands were grimy from the dirt but he didn't mind too much. He couldn't return home yet, Walter's revenge wasn't going to wait, this was one murder he was going to avenge immediately.


	3. Chapter 3: Mercy or Revenge

Trunks landed on Enbor street and knew which building it was without needing to look for 811. The tallest building on the street and on the flag pole flew a symbol of the gang. The black background and green Memorialia writing on it couldn't have belonged to anyone else. Trunks smiled for the first time in days. This was going to be interesting.

He kicked the locked gate in, sending it flying onto the pavement of the school playground. He hadn't attended high school, he had vague members of elementary, mostly spending time with children his age, but the Androids had made West City a major target and destroyed many of the schools in the area. After all they had enjoyed games and playgrounds had offered some good sport for them. There had been no time running from the Androids to sit inside a classroom. His mother had taken it upon herself to start homeschooling him when he'd turned ten. He learned his letters, how to read, math, science, and engineering from her among other things.

Trunks checked the windows as he walked to the front door, but he didn't spot anyone inside. He tried the door but it was locked, likely to keep any foolhardy Laburrak gang members out. He knocked it down with an energy blast and stepped inside. The fragrant smell of musk hit him instantly, apparently they didn't bother on upkeep of their headquarters despite a membership of a thousand to do this sort of thing.

He frowned as he walked, checking for ki readings. There was a sizable cluster on the next floor and the third level, the ground floor had a few wanderers possibly sentries, but nothing else. He wondered briefly where the staircase was but gave up and instead blasted a hole through the ceiling.

He floated to the second floor. He walked to the room with most of the ki and opened the door. Inside was a group of men in their twenties with a few older and younger boys. Trunks regarded them with disdain. A few girls sat on laps and were serving liquor. Some boys in the corner were smoking pot and a few were no doubt doing worse drugs. The desks and teacher's table had been pushed to the corners and it was clear a few of them had made sleeping arrangements in the furthest corner from the door. He could hear some obvious sexual noises from one of the covered piles. A few desks had been left around the room for obvious tabletop use but no one sat in them, instead using more comfortable cushions on the floor.

"Who the fuck is this kid?"

"My name isn't important. Which one of you is the leader of this gang?"

"Is he seriously asking for Mallory?"

"Kid what the hell is your problem?"

"Come to join the gang huh? There is a blood rite of passage."

"Stop talking all at once. One of you tell me where this Mallory is."

"Wait a minute," one of them stood up, unsteady on his feet. Trunks squinted at him, trying to recall why he seemed familiar. "You're that punk from Hal's Lounge!"

"What?" Someone else screamed, hand reaching for his gun. Trunks slammed his face into the floor and taking the gun from his unconscious form crushed it in his hand until it was useless. He wasn't going to mess around or let anyone else get hurt because of some idiot's foolish gun use.

"Holy crap, he's inhuman!"

"I told everyone this kid was crazy strong and none of you believed me."

"Shut up!" Trunks stomped his foot, sending shock waves through the room. Everyone eyed him in terror. "Where is this Mallory?"

No one responded to this as Trunks crossed his arms and waited, some of the girls were getting anxious and clustering together near the back wall. Trunks ignored them, they weren't his targets and were just helpless victims.

"Who is Mallory?"

"Don't play games with me," Trunks glared at the guy who seemed to take him for an idiot just because he was strong. "I'm not in the mood. Tell me what I want to know and I'll spare you lives."

"You're going to kill us?"

"If need be." It was a bluff but Trunks was pretty good at lying when he really needed to. He couldn't lie to Bulma worth a damn, but these guys shouldn't be a problem.

"We'll see about that," one moron tried to rush him and Trunks, angry that the kid had the nerve to think a pocket knife could take down a Saiyan especially after his little gun destruction, sent the kid flying onto his ass with a kick to the gut.

"You okay, Alex?" Alex lay winded and didn't bother moving as his friends swarmed him to see if he was alright. At least they weren't so heartless as to not care if their friend was injured.

Trunks approached and as he did they backed away. He knelt down as Alex sat up, horror etched in every feature. Trunks could remember feeling like that constantly around the Androids. It hadn't been pleasant.

"Just tell me where Mallory is. We need to have a little chat, okay."

"Never."

"It would save me a lot of time and you…well…do you really want to die now that the Androids are gone?"

"I'd die for my family."

"Your family?" He meant the gang of course, he could admire his loyalty even as misplaced as it was. "What about all those people your family has hurt huh? A friend of mine was killed because your family wanted revenge."

"Not my problem."

Trunks wanted to hit Alex, but refrained. Violence was the absolute last option aside from a few kicks and punches. He couldn't understand how others could exercise violence over trivial things like reputation or processions, he had only ever utilized his powers for the good of mankind and in training so to use violence as freely as most of these gang members did never crossed his mind. Bulma and Gohan had raised him well and he was grateful, most of these young boys had grown up without family support and in an era of violence where it came naturally too.

"Listen, I don't want to hurt any of you, but honestly I'm not leaving until I get to see this Mallory person. You need to start complying, got it?"

"Con what?" Alex's confused look told a story of illiteracy that Trunks didn't feel like combating at the moment.

"Just tell me where he is or I'll start blowing your headquarters to pieces."

"Headquarters?"

"What's that look for?"

"This isn't the headquarters."

"What?"

"The headquarters is on Pesu street."

"You got to be kidding me."

"Nope."

"That bastard lied to me. If I find him…"

"Find who?"

"That kid that told me Endor street, you said you remembered me from Hal's Lounge right?"

"Yeah."

"Well then you know him, don't you?"

"He's on sentry duty at the moment."

"Also which one of you killed old Walter? He was a good man."

"Walter?"

"The bartender from Hal's Lounge."

"Oh him," Alex looked away and Trunks saw the misgiving in his eyes. "That was Declan. Same guy who lied to you. After we went back to Hal's our commander forced him to shot the old man. Declan cried like a baby."

"Did he?" Trunks wasn't sure what to think at hearing that. He put the thought on the back burner for latter perusal and eyed Alex thoughtfully, "Take me to the headquarters on Pesu street then. That way I'll find out if you are lying and you better not be if you value your life."

"I won't betray my family."

"Alright," Trunks stood, "Who will?"

"I can take you if you free me from these goons." She was one of the prostitutes, her skimpy attire and good looks made that clear. Trunks hesitated and one of the gang members tried to attack him once more. Getting vexed at the constant attacks he blasted the ceiling with an energy blast. This seemed to repel the unruly assailants.

"All the girls are going free this instance and unless you think you can actually stop me, I suggest you keep quiet and let it be. Come on," he dropped down the hole and waited for the women. One by one they dropped down into his arms, he was careful setting them down, they were malnourished and like porcelain dolls in his arms. His distress grew at the sight of bruises on some of them. He couldn't do much else for them, their freedom was all he could give them, he couldn't heal the wounds left from imprisonment for them however.

"First where is this murderer?"

"Declan is on sentry duty. Downstairs, I think he took the cafeteria shift," the girl offered.

"Let's go then." Trunks made sure the girls stayed close the first times ki readings registered. He entered the cafeteria and found the seventeen year old sitting at a table asleep. His angry got the better of him at seeing this boy relaxing after what he'd done. He sent a blast into the table behind him, knocking it out from behind him. He awake when the prop where he was sleeping was dislodged and yawned as he glanced around in confusion.

"Do you remember me?"

"Oh God," his surprise went quickly to terror. It pleased Trunks to see that look, the same look the Androids had given him when he'd avenged Gohan and now Walter's killer.

"You remember that old man at Hal's?"

"Yeah, he shot at me." He spotted the boy's cast then, it was only a cloth around the neck and realized Walter's shotgun had indeed done some damage.

"I'm sure he only did so because you shot first."

"No, we went looking for you. Our commander wanted to see if the stories we were telling were true, but the old man didn't know anything."

"Then why the hell did you kill him?" The boy winced and stiffened at Trunks words.

"The commander ordered it, I had no other choice. It was his life or mine." The guilt came off the boy in waves.

"I've come to avenge Walter."

"You're going to kill me," Delcan said softly. It was the first show of bravery the boy had yet shown by looking him dead in the eye.

Trunks hadn't really decided what he wanted to do about this boy. He did want to get revenge, but at the same time, seeing this kid and his evident guilt and fear was making the decision more complicated than he'd anticipated. What would Walter have wanted? He thought of the old man watching his son from the shade with a warm fatherly smile and Declan, shaking and nearly pissing himself before him, and he didn't quite know what to do. He didn't want to kill any more people than was necessary, but at the same time…

"Give me your jacket and armband."

"What? Why?" Delcan looked nervous when he didn't elaborate. He fumbled awkwardly in his fear as he undressed. Trunks felt the tremble in his hands as he passed the clothing over.

"Now do something for me, Delcan, for yourself and the memory of the man you murdered."

"What?"

"Walk out that door there and never look back at this gang business. You still have a heart and because of that I can't bring myself to kill you, but know that if you don't leave I will do what I intended from the beginning. Get out of this lifestyle, it's not worth it. Do it for Walter."

Delcan's flabbergasted look and then relief gave his young face some age. The fearful look had made him seem so childlike. Had Walter thought of Delcan's age when he'd been armed and firing at him?

"Don't make me regret this," Trunks said as he blasted the jacket and the armband into oblivion. "Now," he turned to the girl from earlier. "Where is the headquarters again?"

"506 Pesu street."

"Okay. You girls get out of here too. You shouldn't have to endure this kind of life either. I have some unfinished things to deal with. Good luck," he waved as he walked out the door to the stunned looks of the girls and boy.

Trunks already felt exhausted from today's activities and it wasn't even close to over yet. He landed at Pesu street. So the headquarters was really a skyscraper of the Capsule Corp. How ironic that the very descendent of the founder of Capsule Corp was going to fight a bunch of ruffians at the Pepper City location. Trunks would have laughed had his mood not been so black today. Having let Declan go didn't completely sit well with him, but he wasn't going to go back on his word.

He entered the building and was surprised at the large amount of ki here compared to the Enbor part. The building was well taken care of here too, minus the rough exterior the building was pretty nice inside. The place at least was clean and didn't smell musky. He didn't even know where to start. He found himself wishing he'd bought Declan or one of the girls with for clarification. He didn't want to spend all day searching the building.

He stopped the nearest ki owner, a twenty something year old who cursed him out when he asked him where Mallory was. Trunks made his power known and the guy quickly quieted and became agreeable to leading him to the man. He blasted through five floors to the one the man had indicated.

The room he pointed out was packed with people. He kicked the door in. The room was noisy but seeing the door busted in all eyes turned to them.

"Where is Mallory?"

"Mallory," a man with curly hair and dark eyes glared at Trunks. "Who the hell do you think are?"

"I'm Trunks Briefs and I don't appreciate you assholes taking over a Capsule Corp building like this. Your nefarious deeds are coming to an end, whether you want to comply or not."

"Briefs? That's funny, I thought they were all dead."

"Not quite, I am sure you'll find that disagreeable in a moment though."

"Pretty cocky for one single man. Got an army with you?"

"I don't need an army. I'm an army in myself."

"Okay brat," the guy laughed with mirth in his eyes. "I'm the commander of the west end of Memorialia and we don't like little shits coming to our headquarters and spewing nonsense. If you want to be recruited go to your local set and do a blood rite. Otherwise get the fuck out before I lose my charitable mood!"

"Not happening. I have no intention of joining such scum. I thought the Androids were bad, but at least they were programed to be evil, you just disregard others in favor of yourself."

"You're annoying kid and talk way too much. Deal with him," he directed to his fellow members.

Trunks smiled as several pulled out pistols. The bullet hit him in the face and his smile only widened at the abject mortification on their faces at his lack of injury. "When you bully and mistreat others one day you'll eventually meet someone who you can't. Sorry to burst your bubble."

"You fucker!" The commander pulled his own gun out at this point and fired at him. Trunks laughed.

"Weren't you listening?"

"What are you?"

"A nightmare much worse than the Androids for you guys. Now will you tell me where Mallory is or do I have to start beating your faces in?"

"We don't betray our family. Let's beat this bitch's ass!" Trunks sighed when several of them rushed him. He punched the first guy in the face and roundhouse kicked the second, the third saw this and backed nervously away.

The commander grimaced at this and gestured to his men, "Get him!"

For a moment no one moved, but realizing they were between a rock and a hard place they obeyed. Trunks dodged all their attacks and started knocking them unconscious with well placed punches and kicks. Ten were passed out when the fighting ended.

"You can send your whole gang at me and you won't get anywhere."

"What do you want?"

"Mallory, haven't you heard?"

"But why?"

"He let one of your members killed a friend of mine and I am sick of your gang hurting others. I didn't tolerate the Androids and I definitely won't tolerate your pathetic organization."

"Mallory's at his room."

"Where's that?" The guy pointed up.

Trunks grinned, "Finally."

He blasted the ceiling in, amused when a piece fell onto the commander's head and knocked him out. He floated up and into the room, noticing the occupied bed. The man was in his late thirties and in the bed with him was a girl barely eighteen. She looked frightened and Trunks knew it wasn't because she noticed him alone that she was scared.

"So you're Mallory."

"Wh─."

"Let's just forget the pleasantries. Move," he said to the girl. She stood hurriedly and grabbed her clothes. Trunks waited until she was away before he raised his arm and blasted the bed. The bed was destroyed to Trunks satisfaction when the wreckage cleared, Mallory's corpse had stayed intact as he had planned though.

He pulled his sword out and knelt beside the body. He grabbed his long hair and using his sword cut into his neck. The bone and sinewy neck was a chore to cut through. He switched tactics and withdrew the blade, and instead aimed and lowered it with force. It worked much better than trying to sew saw the head off. He made sure to avoid getting any blood spatter on his clothes as he grabbed the head and went back down the hole.

He walked past the commander, now awake again with his friends. He gave the commander a harsh look, "Remember this and learn from it!"

He walked out of the headquarters and to the gated fence. He flew to the top of the gate and holding the head carefully stabbed it through the middle with the spiked tip of the gate. He examined his handiwork with pride. Mallory hadn't been any better than Frieza, Cell, or the Androids in his mind and perhaps even more worthless given he was treating his own kind with such disdain. He would never abuse a woman or use men to further his own sadistic aims again.

He flew away, wondering as he sailed back home exactly what Bulma would say when she saw him in blood and mud. He winced at the idea and flying over the ruined city he located a clothing store. There wasn't much to choose from he found, but it was better to wash up a little than give Bulma an unnecessary scare. He didn't feel like letting her know exactly what he'd done today, Bulma was the sort to dislike murder of any kind and though Trunks didn't regret it as he knew he didn't regret Frieza's, he was sure she would just be disappointed and upset at this news.

He changed quickly, figuring he could take a shower when home and get truly clean then. He left the department store and headed home. Bulma smiled when he walked through the door.

"Visiting your girlfriend?"

"I already told you I don't have one."

"You should get one then."

"I don't have time for that."

"Oh yes I forget all you care about is your training."

"You know that's not true," Trunks said, "anyways I am going to take a shower."

"No training today?"

"I'm pretty beat. Tomorrow can wait. Besides didn't you want to get some supplies?"

"It's too late tonight."

"I suppose," Trunks paused at the door to the bathroom. "We could do it tomorrow?"

"You're actually going to put your training off for a few hours?"

"It won't hurt anything."

"Glad to hear your father hasn't rubbed off too strongly on you then."

"Yeah," he chuckled as he went into the bathroom. His mom had such little faith in Vegeta, it wasn't too surprising though given how his attitude towards training was.


	4. Chapter 4: West City

For all you reading who want Trunks to go back to Z fighter's timeline. I don't intend for him to go back immediately. Reasons for him to go back need to happen before that and I don't want him just randomly popping in to say hi to the Z fighters. It's going to be a few chapters to be sure before he finally goes back and it will be interesting to say the least when he does so hang in there and endure Trunks messing around in his own timeline. This story will predominately be him in his own timeline, so don't expect him to stay forever in the Z fighters timeline or spending years there. It's not realistic in my opinion to have that happen, I can't see him ditching his timeline's Bulma or Earth's inhabitant's and leaving them without a defender in case someone comes along. Enjoy and R&R.

* * *

"Trunks Briefs if you don't slow this car down this instance I will─." Her last words were obscured by the car squealing as he turned.

"What mom?"

"Slow down! You are going to crash the car at this speed!"

"I've told you a thousand times my handling and agility are way better than average humans. We won't get in an accident."

"And if you do crash the car? Parts are easy enough to find but I don't want to spend days fixing it and do you honestly want to carry fussy me and the supplies home, huh?"

Trunks let his adrenaline drop back down and slowed the car. "Sorry mom, I was just trying to have some fun."

"At the expense of your mother's life?"

"You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"I know, dear," Bulma smiled, brushing loose strands of hair out of her face. She looked so young when she smiled, it reminded him of past Bulma. She'd been happy in that timeline, Trunks only wished his mother in this one had gotten to experience a peaceful time like her counterpart. He could only regret that he'd been unable to undo all the tragic events of their timeline.

He focused on the empty lane ahead of him as Bulma reached back into one of the bags. "I'm so glad we got this." Bulma was partially cooing to the metal piece of machinery.

Trunks laughed, "Jeez Mom it's just a computer chip."

"But it's vital to my next project."

"What are you up to now?"

"I'm surprised you even bothered asking. You use to think my inventions a waste of time," her barbed words were full of good humor though as she eyed him out of the corner of her eye.

"Only the time machine and you can't really blame me for being skeptical, I'm a Briefs after all and we may be inventors but not miracle workers."

"You worked a miracle in the other timeline so I think we might be now."

"I did only what I had too, I don't think that qualifies as a miracle, Gohan and Goku were the true miracle workers," he smiled at the fond memories of the past.

"Trunks?" He turned to see his mother giving him a worried look. "You make me nervous when you talk about the past. I know it must have been great seeing Goku, your father, and Gohan but…"

"Let's not talk about this." The last year all his mother would bring up was his fascination with the other timeline and bemoan what she saw as an unhealthy obsession, this had been part of the reason he'd spent most of the year training and helping far away from his mother's home. He couldn't stand her insistence that there was something wrong with his attitude toward the past.

Yes he was overly fond of the other timeline, how couldn't he be with Goku and co being alive there and remembering all those semi-happy times he'd spent with them during the Android and Cell attacks? It hadn't been prefect, but it had been the closest to being truly happy again he'd been since Gohan's death. Why she begrudged him this was beyond his comprehension.

"I just worry about you."

"You always say that, but relax. There isn't a need to worry anymore," he wished it was true and he was sure she did too because she finally went quiet.

* * *

"_Thanks Trunks," the man said with a smile. "That would have taken forever to build without you. You're the best!"_

"_No problem," he ran a towel over his sweaty forehead. It was so hot today but he felt accomplished. He smiled at the house before him. Three days ago the place had been a wreck because of a recent tornado, but one day spent getting wood from the surrounding forest and carpentry runs into town and the last two days spent repairing the roof had been a chore, but one he felt good about having done.  
_

_He hadn't originally intended to stop in this out of the way town, but it had started raining and the couple had invited him into their home. He'd been grateful and finding out that the roof was damaged from a recent tornado, he'd decided to help them rebuild it._

"_You're an amazing kid," Robert said with a smile._

"_I got lemonade if you guys want some," Robert's wife called from the porch. _

"_Okay honey," Robert walked over to his wife as Trunks set the cloth down._

"_Hey Saiyan!" Trunks turned in surprise. The Androids. How had they found him? Grinning Seventeen raised his arm and to Trunks horror blasted the house with Robert and his wife inside._

Trunks ran a hand through his hair, propping his face onto his arm and trying to dispel the incredulous nightmare. Why was his mind merging memories of the Androids with things that only happened after they were dead? He hadn't helped that couple rebuild their house until months after the Androids had been beaten. Bulma would have said his subconscious was trying to tell him something but somehow Trunks doubted that. Maybe it was his brain's way of trying to relieve all those feelings he'd had when the Androids were alive? He wasn't sure and not really wanting to address the issue he sat up, basking in the warmth coming from his open window. The weather outside was prefect.

"Hey mom," he said when he spotted her working at the table on her latest invention. "You never stop do you?"

"Very funny, I could say the same thing about you and your training. Are you going out?"

"Thinking about it." He poured himself a cup of tea and sat down beside her. He had learned engineering from her but had never really taken to it. He'd always been so preoccupied with training and everything else going on in his life to get into that.

"Well suit yourself. You should stay a few more days. You can train here like you did when Gohan was…" She paused at his silence and focused on her work for a few moments instead of finishing her sentence. She must be lonely, Trunks thought, she wouldn't have bought up his staying otherwise. He wanted to kick himself for being away for so long, it wasn't right to make her worry after all she'd gone through.

"I'll think about it. I was planning to train today and maybe catch some fish for dinner tonight."

"Sounds great dear."

"Did you ever finish the Gravity─." She slammed the chip and tool onto the tabletop.

"Don't even finish that sentence, Trunks, I am still annoyed that you broke it last time." She gave him a murderous glare. He sipped his tea. "I mean really breaking the damn thing just like your father…"

"Sorry. You did find the parts to fix it right?"

"It's done," Bulma sighed, "just needs fuel and oil. You should go scavenging for some today."

"Good idea," he drank the tea. He wasn't a fan of oolong tea but his mother loved it.

"Of course it's a good idea. Just don't break it again and expect me to fix it. I swear you Saiyan's can't help but break everything."

"Sorry, you know I don't try."

"Sure," her sarcastic tone said she didn't believe that. "Go easy on the equipment next time please."

"My enemies won't go easy on me and I won't get the same results if I don't put as much effort in."

"Trunks," he knew he was in trouble with that menacing note to her voice. "Go train."

"Okay," he finished his tea and bid her goodbye. He flew over the remains of West City, searching for a good spot. There wasn't much left of the once big metropolitan city. The Androids had attacked it first and then made repeated treks back to destroy the rebuilt settlements every time after. Eventually people had given up on rebuilding West City and abandoned the place. Buildings in depilated states lined the streets and Trunks frowned at the destruction. He hated going into West City unless he needed to as it was eerily quiet and disturbing.

He landed in a relatively cleared out square and started on some stretches. He wished the gravity machine was working already but he could handle one more day without it. He began his routine. Every punch increased his adrenaline and bought back memories of fighting over the years. He recalled every blow to the face he'd taken from the Androids and Cell, every ki blast and the one that was strong enough to end his life, and every kick that knocked him to the ground. His anger increased at every instance of defeat that came to mind and suddenly he was Super Saiyan before he even realized it.

The lack of emotion in the Androids eyes haunted him even in training. He imagined every punch he made hitting Seventeen in the jaw or knocking Eighteen into the ground. He recalled Cell and Frieza briefly but the hated for them was minimal compared to the Androids. Perhaps if it had been Cell or Frieza who had tormented his time he would have hated them more, but as it was most of his aggression was directed towards the soulless Androids. Or was it because the Androids lacked emotions whereas Frieza and Cell had experienced other feelings? No, Trunks thought, Seventeen and Eighteen had known joy in killing and fear when their lives had finally come to an end. They weren't soulless entirely then but they hadn't know any sort of consideration for anyone.

He hated that most of all, the fact the enemies they had faced over the years had never expressed regret. Frieza, Cell, and the Androids had just never cared about others. He was sure the Z fighters could name countless others too, hadn't Gohan of his time told him stories growing up of Saiyan warriors like Raditz and Nappa? Piccolo and Vegeta, if one could truly say Vegeta had expressed regrets about his past, were the two major exceptions Trunks could immediately bring to mind.

Had that been the reason he'd spared Declan? The boy had been the first enemy he'd met who'd actually expressed misgiving about what he'd done and for some reason it had vaguely made him think of Vegeta even though he doubted his father had ever genuinely felt guilt about anything but his not being stronger than Goku. That inflamed him all the more.

Had it been a calculated move on Declan's part to play sympathetic to evade punishment? He doubted the boy had the wits to be honest, but it still unnerved him to have spared the kid. It wasn't that he didn't know mercy, he had idolized Gohan and by extension Goku when he'd been young, but having seen the consequences which had resulted with giving Frieza a second chance his ability to do so again had been severely tested.

He spent much of the day brooding as he trained and trying not to let his pessimism get him down. It might have been better to train with someone else and keep him from thinking too much but well…Gohan wasn't around anymore and that just made each punch more ferocious.

After a bit he stopped to replenish his liquid intake and check the time on his watch. Barely noon and already being alone in the wreckage of West City was getting to him. Why was he so on edge lately, training had never felt so unbearable, he chalked it up to all that had taken place with the Memorialia gang and Walter. He thought briefly of Melanie and Lenny but their bodies hadn't been at Hal's and so he assumed they were safe. He hadn't sensed their ki's at the headquarters or the Enbor location either. Likely they were at home and not really being aware of where either of them lived made it kind of hard to check up on them.

Trunks sighed, it might not hurt to pay the lounge a visit though before he went to find Bulma's fuel for the gravity chamber. He should pay his respects since there wasn't anyone else to do so. He would wait to train further when the chamber was complete and his training could begin again in honest. There was no point wasting time training in normal gravity when he could get way better results 500x Earth's.

He flew to Hal's Lounge but was surprised when he spotted lights inside the building. What the hell? He landed and went inside. Melanie, Lenny, and two of the regular customers were inside. Melanie beamed when she saw him and waved him over.

"I'm surprised you are here."

"I didn't come by yesterday…" Her expression grew sad, "I was here when the gang showed up. I was in the bathroom and heard the gunshots and when I came out I saw Walter. I was so scared, I just ran for my life."

Trunks couldn't blame her for not burying Walter because of the fear the gang would return and finish her off too, he was just glad everyone else was alive.

"Don't sweat it Melanie, it was courageous of you to even bother coming back."

"I felt so guilty. I couldn't just leave Walter like that," her voice shook. "He's been so kind to me and given me this job. I probably would have starved without the money he gave me."

"We heard what you did at the Memorialia headquarters," Lenny put in. "It's spreading across Pepper City like wildfire."

"That's good, maybe it will help intimidate the gangs to stop. Has there been any movement from Memorialia?"

"Not yet. Mallory's death has caused splintering over passing the leadership on and I've even heard whispers that a few of the sets are contemplating merging with Laburrak or going solo. Not going to be pretty, especially if Laburrak's gang capsulizes on Memorialia's weakness and tries to snatch up members."

"That sounds like a lot more deaths," he mumbled, biting down on his thumb nail. This didn't sound good, he hadn't expected passing the leadership on in Memorialia would prove so troublesome. Should he intervene some more?

"Yeah, probably already happening as we speak. I'm sure a coup is going to happen before all is said and done."

"Lenny that's awful. I didn't want that."

"I know. You just thought killing one man and showing your alien powers would help, Trunks, but things rarely happen as we planned and now it's going to get worse before it gets better. Mallory may be dead but I am sure another hotshot will take his place and resume terrorizing people."

"The only way I can imagine you succeeding in stopping the gang violence is by killing every member."

"Melanie, I can't believe I just heard you say that!"

"Well it's true. Might as well just stay out of it for now, Trunks."

"I don't like sitting on the sidelines," he muttered, biting his nail off in his agitation. "Do you guys have any ideas on a good way to quell Memorialia's violence without force?"

The two exchanged looks and silence followed as they all thought on the matter. "Honestly," Lenny finally stated, crossing his arms, "I don't think one person can stop them. I mean you are strong, but unless you do what Melanie said well…nothing will change."

"I'm not going to massacre a bunch of people, especially since I am certain a good portion of the gang were coerced into that sort of lifestyle or don't know a way out now that they are in."

"I have an idea," Trunks started at the woman's voice. He'd felt the ki but had just assumed another patron was coming inside. He turned to see the prostitute who had given him the headquarters address yesterday.

"How did you find this place?"

"Easy, I asked Declan." Declan appeared in the doorway next to her.

"You!" Lenny stood, knocking his chair to the ground. "You bastard!"

Declan's face went red, "I want to help."

"Like hell you do," Lenny rolled his sleeves up. "I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Wait Leonardo," Trunks insisted but by then Lenny was running at Declan. It was only a matter of moments before Lenny punched him across the face once and then twice. Declan fell to the ground and Lenny continued his assault by kicking him repeatedly. Trunks stood and grabbed Lenny off of the kid.

"Bastard deserves a lot worse!"

"That's enough. Get your anger out, but don't kill him. Walter wouldn't want that."

"I can't believe you want me to spare this coward!" He knew if it had just been Melanie and the other girl here Lenny wouldn't have stopped beating on Declan, but Lenny knew when he was outclassed.

"Take a walk," Trunks could smell the liquor on Lenny's breath as the man huffed violently, gave one last withering glare at Declan, and walked out the door.

"You alright?" Asked the blonde former prostitute.

"I'm fine, Valentina," Declan touched his nose. Blood was dripping out and Trunks could tell he'd have a black eye later.

"Sorry about that," Trunks said, he knew he could have interfered before Lenny threw the first punch and prevented it but he hadn't because he really thought the kid deserved it.

"Don't worry about me," Declan winced even as he said it and went over to the counter. The frosty look Melanie was giving him was more than a little awkward, but he could see why, Melanie had been closer and known Walter a lot longer than he had.

"Why are you here?"

"I want to help," he said at last. "I want to make amends."

"Bring Walt back then," Melanie barked angrily.

"I wish I could."

Trunks thought again of the Dragon Balls as he always did at times like these and felt annoyed that there was no way to revive someone anymore.

"Don't start arguing. What's this idea you had?" Trunks crossed his arms and sat down at the counter. Declan and Valentina joined him, both of them seemingly uncomfortable given Melanie's glare.

"The idea was simple. You train an army like yourself."

He frowned, "As simple as that may seem it isn't."

"Why?"

"I'm the only Saiyan left."

"Meaning what exactly?"

"He's an alien," Melanie informed.

"An alien? That makes sense since you are so strong I guess."

"We are called Saiyans. The rest of my race was wiped out years ago by a nasty tyrant named Frieza."

"What about humans?"

"You mean train humans to fight other humans?"

"Sure. If we get strong enough can't we learn how to fly like you can or do that weird blasting thing?"

"Ki energy can be used for more than the 'weird blasting thing' but that is one of the advantages."

"Cool. So can we really learn those things?"

"Yes, no one would be nearly as powerful as me though."

"Who cares! We'd be able to take on the gang and that's what's important. Their guns would be useless against us."

"I admire your enthusiasm, Declan, but it's not as simple as that. Most humans can't even read ki and those who can must train years to be able to do so. Flying is just as hard for most untrained people."

"But you'll be training us so won't that make us stronger faster?"

"Not necessarily. It might almost be a hindrance since I am so much stronger. I'd really have to focus on not killing you in a fight."

Declan frowned at this, "But surely there is a way?"

"You could always equip everyone with guns and do as the girl said," Valentina added.

"My names Melanie," she said in annoyance.

"True but a lot of lives would be wasted in the process."

"What other options do we really have?"

"A few actually," he leaned onto the counter. "I could do some things on my own. For example I can attack their warehouses and damage their supplies. That at least would make it more difficult for them to murder people easily."

"They can always get knives and explosives are easy to make with some household supplies," Declan pointed out. "I've seen some of them make small bombs for fun."

Trunks turned over several scenarios in his head but most of them resulted in high death tolls which wasn't what he wanted. Already he was sure men were in the streets getting killed, he didn't want any more needless bloodshed on his hands.

The only scenarios which were deathless were him going to the past and bringing the Dragon Balls to his timeline. He wasn't even sure bringing the Dragon Balls to his own timeline would work, there was no guardian here which might mean the Dragon Balls would just turn to stone once in his timeline. He considered bringing Dende along with him, but what would that all really accomplish? He could wish all the recently dead like Walter back but the gang violence would only resume. It would resolve nothing.

He considered different wishes, he could wish for all the guns to be destroyed but the gang would as Declan said find a way around it if they were determined enough. Besides they could eventually manufacture more guns. He could wish the gang out of existence but he wasn't sure if wishing the gang gone would reradiate the members too or alter his timeline too drastically. He considering wishing for the concept of gangs to be gone but figured that wouldn't end any of the violence as they would just invent a new concept or continue being violent without one. He contemplated wishing for the founder Mallory never to make the gang, it seemed a good idea at first but he started poking holes in the wish fairly quickly. Laburrak gang would still be there and it might just swell their ranks if he dissolved their enemy. They would end up in the same place but with Laburrak. He wasn't sure Shenron would extend the wish to encompass both gangs and even if he did another gang might just arise to take their place in the intervening years.

He considered altering his timeline but it would just create a parallel world like Goku's and the one where Cell killed him. It wouldn't help the current predicament of his own timeline. Anyway he spun the circumstances in his mind meant either wishing risky situations or large causalities. He didn't want to go through the hassle of bringing the Dragon Balls here with Dende if it wouldn't work and he didn't want to spent months training fighters to protect people. It occurred to him then, the solution was so simple he was surprised it hadn't occurred to him sooner.

"Aha!" The others jumped when he slammed his palm onto the counter. "I have an idea. What if I go to the past, bring Dende and the Dragon Balls here and wish that Shenron grant everyone who is good powers so they can defend themselves against violence!"

He didn't trust giving certain ki powers to people like Declan, but Shenron would only give powers to those who wouldn't abuse them. This way Trunks could rest assured that only the most worthy gained the ability and wishing for it would save them time in the long run.

"What?" He realized what he'd said made complete sense to him but not them.

"I'm just thinking aloud," he said with a laugh. He wasn't in the mood to explain everything to them and didn't feel it was any of their business anyway. He would talk to Bulma when he got home tonight and see if she thought the concept was a good one.

"Well then," Declan drank the rum in his glass. "I think I'll head home for tonight. I'll come back tomorrow and we can talk some more. Bye!" Valentina left with him.

"Ugh she's pigheaded," Melanie complained when they had gone.

"I didn't notice," he hadn't really been paying too much attention to Declan or Valentina. His worries weighted too heavy on his mind to bother noticing if someone had an arrogance problem.

"How did you not? She kept giving me smug looks when she came up with an idea and don't even get me started on Declan!"

"He seemed nice and willing to help us."

"He murdered Walter," her indignation was evident. Trunks could see why, he felt uneasy around the kid too and if it had been Eighteen or Seventeen he would have been crying for blood himself.

"About that I might be able to resurrect Walter if everything goes right."

"What do you mean?"

"That's what I was going on about before. There are these objects called Dragon Balls which can grant wishes and I could use them to wish everyone who had died this last year back to life." The disbelief in her eyes amused Trunks, honestly with everything he'd been through in his life believing in Dragon Balls wasn't even remotely out there.

"That's amazing!" She finally said, staring somewhere beyond him. "There are so many people you could bring back."

"I know. The only thing is that it only works if they've been dead a year, any longer and it doesn't work, also anyone who dies from natural diseases can't be bought back."

"That's strange. Can't you just wish that people who die naturally be bought back?"

"I've heard from Goku, a friend of mine who has used them before, that was one of the first things he asked the dragon about but Shenron won't change his rules for whatever idiotic reason. Something about the way he was created and the balance getting screwed up."

"That sucks." If that were the case he'd be using these wishes to bring the Z fighters of his time back to help combat the gang violence instead.

"I should get going Melanie," he said when he realized how late it was getting. "I need to get some supplies before I head home."

"Okay, bye Trunks. Glad to see you again."

"It's been nice seeing you too," he waved goodbye and left.

Pepper City seemed quiet as he flew overhead, but he didn't doubt seedy drug deals, murder, and other things were taking place behind closed doors. He frowning as he flew, wondering if things would ever get better. For so long the people of his timeline had endured attacks from the Androids and now they were forced to watch their children, brothers, spouses, and friends get dragged into violence and villainous acts. Now these crimes were becoming regular as people succumbed to weakness and committed horrible crimes to save themselves. Thievery was the most common and didn't surprise Trunks at all given how low supplies of everything was. Hell both his mother and himself had scavenged for things too, but they never would have taken the processions of someone still alive and certainly not harmed them for it.

In Trunks mind everything was the fault of the Androids. Without them the people of his timeline wouldn't have become costumed to depravity, war, and poverty of this scale. Even in times of peace there were horrid people but law enforcement and morality had kept the worse at bay. Now that civilization was starting to crumble people were losing hope in a better world and doing anything to survive by joining the likes of Memorialia for protection and simple necessities like food.

Enraged Trunks sped quickly through the air, trying not to turn Super Saiyan. His rage always got the better of him when he thought too much on the way his world was. He tried to calm down and ended up in the nearest park.

This park was intact surprisingly enough and Trunks sat on the grass and relaxed, trying to dispel his growing disappointment in humanity. He recalled the Z fighters. They had been so full of life, so carefree, especially Goku. Gohan had felt the weight of his burden against Cell, but Goku had never once given up hope, resolved to the bitter end that the fight didn't stop until you were dead and that one shouldn't give up no matter how hopeless it became.

His timeline's Gohan had always impressed Trunks with his courage and persistence and the Z fighters timeline Gohan had been just as awe inspiring. It wasn't just his power level which had made Trunks marvel at the boy, but his friendliness, his perseverance, and his constant similarities with of his mentor.

If only he could wish the Z fighters back, Goku would know what to do about the gang. Probably go walking into the building and ending the violence effortlessly on the spot. His mother had always told him growing up how amazing Goku was, but he'd never taken the claim seriously until he'd met the Saiyan in person. Goku had given him hope and suddenly he understood why his mother had raved about the guy over his own father. Bulma's inconsistence at not talking about his father had puzzled him for years, but having met Vegeta he could see why. There really weren't many nice things to say about Vegeta, this didn't mean he hadn't cared for her or him but his personality was definitely rough to put it lightly. Vegeta, though almost as strong as Goku, didn't have that attitude of Goku's which made everyone feel hope and aspire to be better.

Trunks sighed, knowing dwelling on the Z fighters wasn't going to bring them back or make life easier. He just wished Gohan of his timeline was here, he would have already figured a way out of this mess he'd started. It was fruitless to think this way he knew, but at times like this he couldn't help wanting Gohan here to advise him. More than that he wanted his best friend back. Life without Gohan had never really felt complete and this whole year after having met the Z fighters and spending time with the Gohan of that timeline, he found it hard to quietly conform to his own timeline once more.

He sat up, he was wasting too much time worrying and wishing for the past today. Mother was going to lecture him about taking forever with that fuel and he did need to get back into serious training tomorrow.

He pushed a few buttons on his watch, amazed at his mother's genius once again. One could say many things about Bulma Briefs but above all was that she knew what she was doing when it came to inventing handy items. Bulma had spent the last year perfecting this watch especially for him. Not only had she included a telecommunication device in it so they could stay in touch, something she'd lamented about when he returned after staying away for almost a year, but there was also extensive map layouts of most major cities and a geographic map to boot. She hadn't gotten layouts for many of the minor cities but at least they were marked out on the bigger geographic map so if he ever got lost he could find a town quickly without too much backtracking and time wasted.

She had also installed a Dragon Ball radar right into the device in case it ever became necessary, she'd told him the old one had been lost years ago and Bulma had never bothered afterwards to make a second one since Piccolo and Kami had died and the balls had turned to stone.

Great, he thought with a smile, there was an automobile shop not five minutes away. He took to the air and landed minutes later in front of the shop. The windows were broken, from the Android attacks or ransacking he couldn't tell, but the rest of the building seemed in good shape. He checked the pumps but they were out of service. Inside the building the counter was stunningly clean, the floor swept, and the ground appeared litter free. He wondering at this, it was unusual to say the least in abandoned buildings.

Someone must be staying here or using this shop for some reason. He frowned as he examined the items on the shelves. It almost looked like someone had restocked the supplies recently. There wasn't even dust on anything either.

"Punk!" He turned in surprise to see a hefty man in his sixties at the entrance. "What the hell do you think you are doing in my store!"

"I was looking for something…"

"You aren't from this side of town," the man said as if that wasn't obvious, "I'd recognize you."

"There is no need to be hostile. My names Trunks, it's nice to meet you."

The man only scowled, lifting the rifle he had slung over his shoulder into his hands. "I don't want any trouble. Just get out of here and don't think of coming back."

"I'm not here to cause trouble really."

The man fired at his feet, clearly meant as a warning shot. Trunks held his hands up, "Honestly I just came for some fuel. I promise to leave once I get it."

"You'll have to get it over my dead body," the man grumbled, "I don't like punk ass kids. They always come in groups."

Trunks frowned, "It's not what you think."

"Just get out!" He realized the man was close to tears as he aimed at him. "Get moving!"

There was no reasoning with him, he gave a wistful look at the supplies on the shelf before backing slowly towards the man and outside. The man didn't lower his gun at all as he exited the building.

Trunks noticed the people then in the windows of the surrounding tenements and houses. On the outside the buildings had all purposely been made to seem disused and abandoned, a means to dissuade thieves and trouble makers. These were good people trying to get by who'd been spared the devastation of the rest of West City and they were eager to protect the little bit they had. Trunks had only stumbled onto them by luck and feeling threatened they had taken arms against him.

He spotted a sniper on the rooftop of one building and a few husky muscular guys with guns standing in the alley across the street. They were ready for a confrontation and had no doubt prepared in advance for someone coming along to steal their precious resources.

"I'm not here to take anything," he answered honestly to the man before him, "I didn't know anyone was operating the building anymore."

"We've heard that before."

"I only want to help."

"Help yourself to our things you mean. I know your scavenging kind."

"I did come here to get fuel but I wouldn't take anything had I known."

"Sure kid."

"Amos, we should end him before he brings more trouble. I'm sure he isn't alone, no one travels alone these days. That's just suicidal," called one of the men standing in the alley to the sixty year old man. The man was in his late twenties with a beard and dark short hair.

Amos ran a shaky hand through his graying blonde hair and frowned at Trunks. "Where are your friends, kid?"

"I came by myself."

"That's a lie."

"I did. Look around, do you see anyone else nearby? I'm completely defenseless."

"How did you get into our neighborhood?" Trunks frowned at the absurd question than realized Amos was taking it very seriously.

"I walked." He considered saying he had a vehicle but didn't want them to search him for keys or a nearby car and get caught lying.

"Over our parameter? That's impossible! We would have heard him set off the alarms." He hadn't been paying attention when he'd flown into this area of West City if he'd missed this supposed parameter, he'd been concentrating on reigning in his emotions and finding a nice place to land.

"You are full of shit," the bearded man approached, aiming his gun at Trunks. "Give the word Amos! We can't let this boy go and alert his friends about us. We don't need bloodshed taking place here, it's been a hard won peace this last year and I don't want to lose it, do you?"

"No one does," Amos replied in a stony voice, his face stoic as he regarded Trunks. "But look at him, Jared, he's got to be barely sixteen." Trunks bristled at the man's wrong guess. Why did everything think he was still a kid? It was very infuriating.

"Actually I'm─."

"I don't care what your age is," Jared cut in angrily, "I only know you are a threat. Sixteen or older, Amos, doesn't change the fact he'd probably kill us if the situation was reversed."

"I agree with Jared, he may be young but younger boys these days are picking up guns," another man from the alley walked over, his gun slung carelessly over his shoulder. He was less fit than Jared and bore a more mature air though he seemed to be about Jared's age.

"What's with the sword?" Amos inquired, "I thought you said you were defenseless."

"I almost forgot about that." Trunks laughed. He unclasped the strap, aware of how quickly everyone tensed up. "I'm not going to use it. That would be kind of stupid against a gun, right?"

"Stop being a smart mouth," Jared's hand switched near the trigger of his AK.

"I'm not trying to be. Here," he held the sword out to them, handle first so they didn't worry.

Amos stepped forward and Trunks could see how uneasy everyone around them became. It was pretty evident Amos was the leader of this group.

"Nice craftsmanship," Amos flipped the blade over repeatedly in his hands as he scrutinized it.

"Thanks."

"Where did you get it?"

"A friend gave it to me a long time ago," he didn't feel like elaborating beyond that and given the circumstances the whole story wasn't required. Amos handed the blade to Jared who flung it to one of his friends in the alley.

"Who's the one stealing things now?" Trunks felt his anger spiking. That sword had been precious to him.

"Don't get demanding, we are the ones with the advantage," Amos wisely pointed out. If Trunks had been human he would have agreed.

"Give it back!"

"We will when we determine if you are a threat."

"If we can do that," the calm guy next to Jared added.

"Lance is right, it might be difficult if his friends left him here. You weren't ditched, were you?" Amos said, lowering his gun slightly. He had sweat on his brow, a sign that the stressful tension in the air was getting to him.

"I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself. I came alone."

"I believe you," Lance said to the surprise of the other three. "You came looking for fuel right? What for?"

How could he get out of this one? That was tricky to answer. "My car ran out of gas just outside the city and I walked to get some." He hadn't wanted to use that excuse but it seemed he had no alternative.

"That I don't believe," Lance said, "You delayed your answer and wouldn't meet my eyes. I use to be a detective and I could pick up good liars a mile away. You don't even come close to being good at it."

Trunks laughed despite the uncomfortable situation. He had never considered himself a great liar, but he hadn't thought himself that transparent. Amos and Jared looked awkwardly at each other as Lance gave a smile.

"If you could just lower your weapons, give me that fuel I need I'll be on my way and out of your hair."

"You do realize how precious every drop of fuel is," Jared snapped derisively.

"There are plenty of cars to siphon gas out of, why don't you do that?"

"My car takes a special blend," it was somewhat truthful anyway. Lance nodded at Amos' quizzical look, Trunks took this as meaning Lance believed him.

"Well that's your problem, not ours!" Called one of their friend's from the window of a shabby dwelling.

Trunks felt his chances of quietly leaving with the fuel slipping away. What were these people planning to do? He didn't want to reveal his powers if he didn't have to.

"Let's make a deal," Amos said at last, "you get gas if you tell us where your friends are. That's reasonable, isn't it?"

"It's reasonable if I had friends."

"Stop trying to bluff us!"

"Jared, I think he's being truthful about being alone, though why anyone would risk their safety by traveling alone is beyond me."

"Clearly you didn't put much thought into that," Amos said, "the younger you are the more immortal you think yourself."

"I see that now," Trunks said, trying to humor them.

"What do you want to do about this Amos?" Lance shifted his stance as he asked this, eying Jared as he spoke to Amos. Trunks had a feeling it rested on Amos' order but Jared seemed like he might try and take matters into his own hands.

"He's a danger to the community. We shouldn't let him leave."

"I agree with you Jared," Amos folded his arms across his chest, "However killing him isn't the answer either. We can't call ourselves better than the people outside our community if we start killing every strangler who wanders into our area."

"But he'll bring trouble, I can feel that already!"

"I have to agree with Amos," Lance said, "he's a danger, I think we can all agree on that, but he's also a boy without any weapons or means to contact his friends even if they do exist."

"So you are going to take him prisoner?"

"Sounds fair enough." Trunks didn't like where this was heading. He had to get that fuel and head home tonight before Bulma started to worry.

"Sorry guys," the three men turned to look at him, "but I can't allow you to take me hostage."

"Tough talk for a pit sized brat," Jared boomed with a chuckle.

"I really didn't want to do this, but you've left me no choice." He let his power rise to a level appropriate to the situation and with a smile flew as fast as possible backwards into the automobile shop. There was grasps from outside but no one followed him immediately inside. Trunks knocked one of the shelves in front of the door as a blockade and went looking for oil again.

He was about to exit through the backdoor when Jared jumped through the broken window and spotting him opened fire. Trunks ducked behind a shelf and grabbed a can that rolled about his feet. He glanced over the product to see Jared looking around for any sign of him. He aimed the can and threw it, hitting Jared in the side of the head and knocking him onto the floor. He went to the backdoor and out, surprised when he emerged that one of their men was waiting outside. They certainly had planned this little ambush well. He ducked the barrel of the gun and sent his fist into the gunmen's gut. He flew into the wall and slumped in pain on the ground.

Deciding he didn't want to deal with anyone else he took off, flying as fast as he could, hopeful no one had spotted him leaving in the commotion. He landed a few minutes away and checked the watch again. There was another automobile shop fifteen minutes away from the first one. He went in that direction. This one was a lot worse off than the last one, he noted immediately. The roof was caved in, damaged exterior, and the pumps weren't working. He didn't bother going inside, this one wasn't going to be able to work.

He looked on the map again and found several within the area but he disregarded those, it seemed unlikely that many of them had withstood the attacks. Instead he found another one thirty minutes away, it was slightly more off the beaten path outside the city and therefore might be serviceable since the Androids didn't bother attacking small communities for the most part. He landed in some vexation, wondering if it might be easier to find some cars and siphon gas out that way. It would take a while but might be the only option in West City at this point in time.

He eyed the building with some misgiving. The structure seemed intact with only one shattered window. The pumps were in pretty good condition too. He went inside, it was dusty from disuse and he could hear some birds chirping from the bathroom. No doubt someone had left a window open. He found an oil container on the floor, it was dented but would do the job.

He approached the counter and gave a shout of joy when the pumps actually started up. He found some gas cans in the store and bought them outside with him. He turned his watch on while they filled and marked the resource as viable; he also added a note next to the first automobile shop that people inhabited that area. He'd have to let Bulma know about that to make sure she didn't go wandering in that part of West City.

Once the cans were done he went inside and turned them off and left. He was excited to begin training again tomorrow as he made it home in time for dinner.

"Hey mom."

"Looks like you had a good haul," Bulma said with a smile.

"I got lucky. It was an interesting day," he set the supplies in the room with the Gravity Machine and Time Machine. "I ran into a bunch of people."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I know most of West City has been abandoned, but I found a small group still living in the north quadruple."

Bulma's surprise was written all over her face, "I remember when the Androids first attacked West City it was on the news. The news channels were covering the Androids movements and had alerted several cities in the area to evacuate. The Androids had already made themselves a reputation for destruction at the time."

"Maybe they never left the city or they returned after the attacks and settled back in."

"Maybe. Were they friendly?"

"Not really, they thought I was trying to steal from them and threatened to take me prisoner because they feared I had backup."

"People these days," he saw the wistful look enter her eyes and be replaced by sorrow. The next minute she'd banished the negativity and gave him a smile, "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, starving actually, I didn't catch anything for lunch."

"Great. How about vegetable soup?"

"Sounds good," Trunks wondered as she turned away and went to the refrigerator if Bulma was disappointed in how their timeline had developed. He knew at times that he was.


	5. Chapter 5: Perdita's Death

Trunks sighed as his mom sat looking through some rubbish. He propped his leg up and leaned his head on it as he waited. This was going to take all day, he thought morosely, wishing he had something to do.

He'd spent the last few days training in the Gravity Machine and trying to think up another way to solve the gang issues as he did so. Every plan in his mind backfired in some way unless he went into the past, the only problem with going into the past was that the Time Machine wasn't charged yet and made that impossible. He had to solve the problem he'd started on his own.

He glanced at his watch, barely past four in the evening. He was getting hungry and he knew Mom liked a structured lifestyle and wouldn't want to get dinner started when they got back. It sometimes annoyed him how methodical Bulma was about her day to day activities, he often found himself wondering how Vegeta dealt with it but he could see it working because Vegeta was pretty hard up about training most of the day and probably didn't see much of Bulma anyway.

"Did you find anything good yet?" He asked her.

"There are some nice metal scraps here, but nothing too wild." Bulma's head ducked again as she examined some object in her hands. Trunks debated getting some training in but knew his body needed the occasional rest and besides Bulma had gotten on his case about over doing it and forced him to spend the day relaxing, hence the reason he'd accompanied her on this trip when he usually wouldn't have.

He fiddled with the radio in the hope they might get a station, to his dismay they got nothing in this part of Pepper City. He leaned his head against the car seat and stretched his legs out on the dashboard. Maybe he could get a nap in.

_Trunks landed in front of Gohan's house with a grin. He knocked and to his frustration Chichi answered. _"_Is Gohan in?"_

"_No, he went out."_

"_To fight the Androids?" He regretted bringing that up when Chichi became quiet, a thing that was a marvel and rarely happened. "When will he be back?"_

"_I don't know. You can come inside and wait for him Trunks." She stepped aside and Trunks followed her into the house. It smelled of pickle juice, on the table was the supplies for canning._

"_So, is Ox-King coming over?"_

"_Possibly, he visits a good deal."_

"_Is he bringing treats again?"_

"_Really Trunks, Father shouldn't spoil you."_

"_Ah, Chichi it's just one treat."_

"_You sound like Goku, 'oh Chichi, it's only one day of training, he can study tomorrow.' That man, so insufferable!" Chichi picked up a jar and continued her pickle making as Trunks sat down. She always spoke of Goku, sometimes fondly, sometimes with annoyance but always with love every time._

_Trunks often wished his mother would talk that way about Vegeta. He figured he knew more about Goku than his own father, Chichi or Gohan were always making Goku references or telling stories. Vegeta rarely got mentioned in every day conversation unless it was something snarky or factual. He longed to hear more about him, Gohan was the only one who really ever spoke to him about his dad._

"_Hey, Chichi, I picked up those groceries you wanted." Ox-King entered the house with a bag in his arms. He went to the refrigerator. _

"_Thanks Dad."_

"_Is Gohan with you?"_

"_Sorry."_

"_It's okay, Ox-King." Trunks fidgeted anxiously in his seat and leaned on his elbows as he stared out the window. Getting bored he pulled his sword out and began hacking at the tabletop. Chichi dropped the jar in her hands, sending pickles and juice all over the floor._

"_What do you think you are doing!"_

"_Mom lets me at home," he answered, unsure why it was a big deal._

"_Just because Bulma lets you do whatever you want Trunks doesn't mean destroying people's stuff is okay." Chichi looked so upset he didn't know what to say as she examined where he'd cut into with distress in her eyes._

"_It's just furniture, Chichi, I'm sure Trunks didn't know better. He's only nine." He shared a relieved look with Ox-King, grateful that the man was standing up for him._

"_Dad don't condone his destroying of my table! Your mother should have teached you some manners, you're just like Goku at that age, oblivious to common sense."  
_

"_Hey mom, I'm back." Gohan entered the house, a big fish under his arm, "I caught dinner."_

"_Can't we have something else for a change?" Chichi asked and Trunks agreed._

"_Oh hey Trunks."_

"_Hey Gohan!"_

"_Mom at home?"_

"_Yeah, she's busy working on the Time Machine."_

"_Still?" Gohan's expression grew thoughtful, "sometimes I think she'll never finish that thing."_

"_Gohan!" Ox-King took the fish from Gohan as Chichi glared at her son, "You've been neglecting your studies again. Get to it!" She pointed to a pile of books on the nearest shelf. _

_Gohan gave a groan, "Mom I have more important worries than studying for a university that isn't there anymore."_

"_Education will always be important," Chichi countered, "what would your father say?"_

"_That I should train to beat the Androids and you should give me a break."_

"_No, he'd say you won't beat those Androids without a good strategy." Chichi crossed her arms, "You're never going to get anywhere in life without an education. Goku may have been dense about some things Gohan but he always wanted you to excel."_

_Goku wanted him to excel alright, but at fighting, not stupid studying, Trunks thought as he looked at Gohan. Gohan gave a begrudging smile and picked one of the books. Trunks slumped in his seat, this meant he'd have to wait to hang out with his best friend._

_Trunks drummed his fingers on the tabletop in boredom and glanced over at Chichi. She was cooking that fish Gohan had caught. Gohan really loves eating fish every day, he thought with a grimace, Ox-King was flicking through the television channels and trying to not land on one that was broadcasting something about the Androids. _

_That was getting harder and harder these days, at home Bulma usually left the television on the news and the Androids were the only important news these days. Trunks could barely remember seeing anything else on the television. Sometimes they had cartoons, soap operas, action movies, but not the new channels._

"_People need to be kept updated about that," Bulma had stated when he asked her one time. "The Androids are a great threat, dear."_

_He hadn't really believed that two robots were a big deal until he'd gotten older, but having seen Gohan leaving to fight the Androids and knowing Gohan's strength was staggering he'd come to believe them to be a real threat. He had started training the first time he saw Gohan land at Chichi's with bruises and blood all over. He could see remember the worry in Chichi's eyes and Ox-King's rushing to get the bandages. How concerned they'd been had touched Trunks and he found himself wondering if his mother would have reacted the same if it had been him._

"_Trunks," Gohan whispered, lifting his eyes above the top of the book._

"_Yeah," he whispered back, glancing at Chichi._

"_Met me outside in ten minutes," Gohan silently set the book down, gave his mom an unreadable look Trunks only later realized was sadness, and flew out the door at super speed._

"_Oh Gohan, I was thinking about redecorating your room," Chichi turned to find Trunks alone. "Where did he go? I didn't even hear him get up."_

"_The bathroom I think."_

"_Right," Chichi said with exaggeration and Trunks was sure she was use to Gohan leaving unexpectedly. "You can go too, Trunks, no need to stay if Gohan isn't here. Just tell him to be safe. He knows I'd be a wreck without him right?" She hadn't turned away from the fish, "I'll leave some on the stove for when he gets back. You'll be coming with him?"_

"_Maybe." Trunks went out the door and picked up Gohan's ki and followed it. His friend had landed in a meadow full of dandelions. He lay on his back, his foot propped on the other in a careless fashion. He almost looked to be sleeping. Trunks grinned and jumped on top of him. Gohan laughed, laughter that he imagined his brother's might have been like if he'd had one, and began tickling him mercilessly._

"_Stop!"_

"_Never!"_

"_Gohan!" Trunks tries kicking him but it did nothing. His chest was starting to hurt from laughing so much. He tried blasting him with ki but he dodged and finally relented._

"_Relax Trunks," he chuckled._

"_One of these days I'll get you first," he said with a smile._

"_Sure kid," Gohan lay back down, stretching his arms above his head._

"_I mean it," he sat down, crossing his legs under him and planting his hands on his ankles. "I'll be just as powerful as you, Gohan, and you won't be able to do that anymore."_

"_One day," the Saiyan turned his gaze to the sky. "Vegeta was like that, so sure he'd be the strongest fighter one day."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yes."_

"_I don't ever want to be as powerful as he was."_

"_Why not?" Gohan's confused look delighted Trunks, he could rarely baffle the hardened son of Goku._

"_Because I want to always be in awe of my father's power. I don't want to forget how great he was."_

"_It's the exact opposite for me. I feel like every time I get stronger my dad is there cheering me on. That he's proud when I turn Super Saiyan and one day I imagine he'd be smiling when I surpass him."_

_He looked at the grass, "Gohan?"_

"_What?"_

"_Will you train me?"_

"_We've talked about this Trunks. You know I won't until you are older."_

"_But I can help by getting stronger faster!"_

"_I don't like you training constantly."_

"_What am I supposed to do? Sit at home and watch television while the world around me is burning?"_

"_That's not what I'm saying."_

"_Yes it is."_

"_Listen for a second." Gohan sat up, staring him in the eye. Trunks crossed his arms, looking at the distant mountains. "I want you to live the life of a normal kid so yes I want you to watch television, hang out with kids your own age, enjoy the time you have. I don't want you to stop training but cut down on it a little and remember to live your life at the same time."_

"_Why should I be happy when the Androids are destroying the world?"_

"_Because without happiness this world isn't worth saving Trunks and someday you'll forget why you are even fighting if you ignore the joy of life. I just want you to get the chance to be a child, I never got that growing up, not after Goku died and the Androids started their rampage. I spent so much time alone training that eventually I felt like I forgot what it was all for. I don't want that to happen to you. Do you understand?"_

_He nodded eagerly, though looking back years later he realized he hadn't understood entirely what Gohan was saying or how important it was. Gohan smiled and ruffled his hair. Trunks smiled back, glad Gohan was here with him even if he was talking nonsense. Gohan's face morphed into horror though as he saw something behind him. He turned to see the plume of smoke that signaled the Android attacks._

"_Gohan!"_

"_Trunks, go to Chichi's and get her and Ox-King out of here. That's really close and I don't want anything to happen to them."_

"_Okay."_

"_That's a good kid."_

"_Be careful," Trunks added it last second because he was sure Chichi would said it if she'd been there._

"_Don't worry," Gohan was gone then, flying straight into the fray while he was left behind to watch._

"_Trunks!" Whose voice was that? "Trunks! Get up!"_

He opened his eyes only to flinch at the bright sun in his eyes. At least this memory hadn't morphed into Androids attacking. He sat up and looked around. He'd forgotten where he was until he spotted Bulma trying to carry a heavy metal sheet over.

"Trunks can you help me?"

"Sure mom."

"Thanks dear." Bulma let go of the sheet and he grabbed it and effortless put it in the back seat of the car.

"Got enough junk back here," he asked her, seeing all the stuff in the back seat and knowing she'd probably filled the car trunk too.

"Nope. This is a prime location for great invention stuff."

"You still haven't told me what you're newest project is."

'It's a secret, stop asking."

"Do you know how much longer it will take to fully power the Time Machine?"

Her expression grew curious, "Now why do you want to know that?"

"I was thinking about going back."

"What for?"

"To tell Goku and them how it went with the Androids."

"But you haven't even defeated Cell yet."

"I know, but there are a lot of reasons."

"What reasons?"

"Can you please just tell me how long it's going to take?"

"Well roughly calculating it I'd say another year to finish powering up, maybe longer."

"What?"

"Don't look so surprised. It takes a lot of energy to go from one dimension to the next."

"Is there a way to speed it up?"

"If I turned the electricity off in the rest of the house it would increase the energy going to the Time Machine."

"And how long would it take doing that?"

"Two, maybe three months. I can't know for certain without my calculations on hand. We use up a lot of electricity in the main house and then with all my inventions and tools on... Why do you want to power up the Time Machine? I'd rather you just wait and let us continue on in comfort."

"I've been thinking about the Dragon Balls again."

"Oh Trunks…they are gone, wanting them around isn't going to make them appear."

"I know that. I'm not a child anymore. I've been thinking if I go back maybe Goku could teach me Instant Transmission and I could find New Namek that way. Then I could bring Dende to earth again and the Dragon Balls would come back."

"It will only work on those who have been dead in the last year," Bulma said. Clearly she was thinking he meant to bring Gohan back, "I'm almost positive the Namekian Dragon Balls are limited that way too."

"But if they aren't think of what that means. Besides I need to make amends and bring a person who died recently back."

"Who do you know that's died? Is that why you've been sneaking out?"

"Something like that. Don't hound me Mom."

"I'm just looking out for you."

"I know you mean well, sometimes I just need you to trust my judgement."

"I trust you have good intentions but sometimes people should stay dead. The power of the Dragon Balls is a weighty responsibility and could fall into the hands of evil."

"I don't need a lecture about the use of the Dragon Balls. I'm just speculating anyway. You have a whole two months to try and talk me out of this so not now okay?"

"Yeah like I spent weeks trying to talk you out of going off with Gohan and confronting the Androids. You never listen to me just like your father."

"Can we not talk about Vegeta!" She fell silent and Trunks knew he'd let his temper get the better of him. Usually he kept calm but sometimes his mother could drive him up a wall. "Can we cut this trip short and get back. I'd like to get some dinner before we head home and it's starting to get dark."

"I am hungry."

"We saw a good convenience store not too far back. I was hoping they'd have a bento."

"I wonder if they have chocolate." Seemingly convinced by the enticement of chocolate Bulma agreed, "We have to mark this spot and come back sometime though."

"Okay."

* * *

Trunks stared at the ceiling of his room. It was now or never, he could hear her snoring in the next room. He sat up, pulling his boots on and leaving the house. It was cold outside compared to the warmth of his bed. He checked his watch for the location and flew towards the inner bowels of West City.

This shouldn't take long, he thought with a smug grin, getting in and out while they slept would be easy with his level of speed. He landed a little ways away, wondering which building his sword might be stored in. He approached cautiously and spotted a porch light on.

"Has anyone found her yet?" Asked a brunette with a worried tone.

"No, Belen, but I am sure she couldn't have gotten far."

"Oh Jared I am so worried," Belen said to the man Trunks remembered from his first meeting with the group.

"She'll be fine, she's a tough cookie. She's probably in some building for the night and safe. She wouldn't still be wandering around now that the sun has set, she's smarter than that."

"I'm worried myself," answered Amos, "We've searched everywhere and can't find her. I don't know how a girl her age could have traveled so far away, especially carrying that stranger's heavy sword."

"She was always determined and Jared had started training her in hand to hand combat so she was starting to get some muscle."

"Belen's right, she could easily trek pretty far away and the sword weight wasn't too bad. I was trying it earlier to see if it might be useful to use in place of guns. A stealthier method can always come in handy in some circumstances."

"I just hope Perdita's okay."

"We'll keep looking, it's not too late yet and we still have the West and East parts to search. If we don't find any trace of her we'll try again in the morning."

"I just don't understand why she took off."

"None of us do," Amos said, rubbing at his chin. "Was she watching the day the stranger came here?"

"She was with me," Belen said, "We were making dinner when the strange man arrived. We started watching when Jared got involved. You know Ethan's son? He was making up some story about the man having unusual flying abilities which Perdita wouldn't stop bringing up later that night. It's just a child's fantasies but Perdita might have believed it and left to find him because of that."

"The guy couldn't fly, I'll have to give Ethan's kid a good scolding for spreading nonsense, but he sure did move fast. I had a hard time following him when he took off into the building."

"Yeah that was crazy fast," Amos agreed.

"East tonight and then we'll search West and comb the other areas again in the morning. Try to get some sleep while we are gone Belen," Jared kissed her on the cheek.

"Please find her guys."

"We will," Jared smiled and she nodded.

Trunks stayed to the shadows as Amos, Jared, and a few others passed by him heading eastward. He let a breath out and walked until it was safe to fly again. He could search the area a lot faster and more thoroughly from the sky than they could on foot. He wanted his sword back and he did feel a tingle of sadness at the idea some small girl was on her own in the ruins of West City all because of him.

He made sure to stay away from the East quarter and focused on finding anyone on the street. It was pretty quiet here given the abandonment of the majority of the city. The streets were littered with debris and vehicles, it seemed a stretch that a little girl was wandering around in the mess and getting as far out as he was going out. He debated turning around when he saw the light of a car ahead. He frowned, could she have taken a car? The conversation had implied that she was walking. He landed quickly so as not to be seen and watched the headlight from behind the nearest building.

The car pulled to a stop and three men got out. Two of them were average height, muscular types, the kind who had used the years of the Android attacks as incentive to bulk up and use their strength for protection purposes. Lots of people had bodyguards if they could afford it and it was a pretty carefree job now that the Androids were history.

"So what do we do with the girl?"

"Dump her here." This guy was shorter and leaner than the other two and in his late thirties. Trunks could only wonder how he'd come to get two bodyguards and why he was in West City.

One of the brutes went back to the car and to Trunks horror carried a body over to the two men. "Here?"

"That's good."

"Should we dig a hole?"

"What for? If anyone sees her they will assume she's a victim of the times. No one will care."

Trunks scowled and saw the sword in the second brute's hands. So they'd murdered this girl but why? For his sword? It made no sense.

"Do you think he'll come looking for this?" Brute one asked as he brushed some dark hair from his face.

"It's our only link to him. He's done us a favor, this mysterious assassin and I want him on our side." He'd had enough listening to them blabber on, he wasn't going to let them get away after what they'd done.

"I'd never join the likes of you," he answered, kicking some rumble as he approached to get their attention.

"Who are you?"

"Names aren't important, are they?"

"I guess not for a dead man. Deal with him."

Trunks blasted the two with ki and smiled at the horrified look of the man left standing. "Why did you harm an innocent girl for?"

"We wanted the sword so we could meet you. I'm supposed to extend an offer of employment to you from my boss."

"Your boss huh?"

"Yes. He's very generous. He'll pay you twice whatever your current employer is, no four times that if you join us!" He was sweating in his fear, his eyes dilated and hands shaking ever so slightly. He wasn't one of those that were good at repressing their emotions.

"Who is he?"

"Laburrak's leader Seth Nicolson."

"Never heard of him."

"You must live in a cave then."

"So this Seth guy where can I find him?"

"Laburrak headquarters of course."

"Where exactly is that?"

"450 Gace Street."

"Thanks. By the way how did you know I was in West City and about the girl?"

"One of our men in West City saw you flying around and since the only person who can fly we knew about was the guy who killed old weasel Mallory we figured it was you. The girl was an accident. We only did that because Tom recognized the sword and we figured you didn't just hand it to her so you might come looking for it."

"A Laburrak gang member recognized my sword from when I attacked Memorialia?"

"Not exactly. The new Memorialia leader put a hit out on you for doing Mallory in. That's when Seth realized it was serious and found one of the posters and told us to find you."

"I'm being hunted!"

"More or less."

"Damn," he crossed his arms. That idea did not sit well with him at all. It portended that more violence would occur and now that they knew he was in West City Bulma wasn't safe. He'd have to take her to Chichi's for a while, not that she'd be happy to go or Chichi to have her stay, but there wasn't an alternative.

"If you join Laburrak we can offer you protection."

"I don't need protection from some seedy drug dealers. Get in that car and drive," he spat angrily. He waited until the guy nervously got into the car and got a few feet away before blasting it to _smithereens with him inside__._ He wasn't about to let a murdering drug dealer off scot free.

He grabbed his sword and strapped it on, grateful for its weight against his back once more. He knelt down beside the girl's body. She hadn't been dead long. Her eyes, a bright sky blue, stared lifelessly back at him. He closed them with a deep breath. Her hair was all over and her dress torn from either the ruffians or tripping in the debris. She looked no older than ten. He swallowed deeply. It was one thing for old Walter to die, he'd lived a long time and experienced lots of joy, but a girl who'd barely seen anything wonderful her whole life because of their world's state was heart shattering.

He picking up her fragile form. He flew back with her in his arms, her hair whipping into his face. He tried not to cry, but it was impossible. She was even wearing a pretty rose pattern dress like any little girl would have. He landed near the building and wondering what he would say when her mother came running out expecting her daughter back home. Would she cry and scream at him? He didn't doubt she'd blame him given he had no evidence to the contrary. He smoothed her tangled blonde hair and did his best to make her presentable as he walked back to the house from earlier. He laid her neatly before the doorstep and knocked gently on the door. He hid before the owner answered and listening as grasps and crying followed.

He rubbed the tears from his face and walked, trying not to let his emotions get the best of him. This wasn't fair. Why did all these good people die because of what he'd done? He wanted to take it back, he wished he'd never murdered Mallory and revealed his powers that day. At the same time he reminded himself he had at least rid the world of several evil men since.

He had to get home and talk Bulma into leaving their home. That was going to be a struggle in and of itself and at the moment he felt too drained to want to anything of the sort. Tomorrow was going to be heretic day.


	6. Chapter 6: Oak and Stone

"I'm not packing a damn thing Trunks until you tell me why I have to!" Bulma yelled, crossing her arms and glaring at her son.

"I'll tell you on the way to Chichi's."

"I want to know before I do anything. What sort of trouble are you involved in?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me!"

"It's not safe here anymore," he met her eyes and saw the frustrated anger melt into worry.

"Why not?"

"I'll explain on the way. You know I wouldn't ask this unless it was important."

"Can't this at least wait until the morning?"

"No."

"Can I get dressed?" She was still in her pajamas. Trunks nodded and she returned to her room to change. Trunks powered down the house's electricity and directed the main line to the Time Machine to charge it in his absence.

"Is there anything you need from the laboratory?"

"Not if we go out to Chichi's. No electricity remember."

"Just making sure." He sat down, his mind finally winding down a little. Tonight had been an exhausting emotional rollercoaster. He just wanted to close his eyes and not worry for a few hours about his timeline. How strange things had gone compared to the optimistic outcome he'd expected a year ago. Still there might be a chance with the Namekian Dragon Balls and he had to cling to that hope, no matter how bad things were at the moment.

"Ready."

"You surprisingly didn't pack much," he said as he noted the light duffel bag.

"Not much to bring without any electricity. Besides it's only for a few days, right?" He said nothing in answer and went out to the car. "Now tell me what's going on."

He told her about his activities of late, even telling her about his recent murders. Bulma was silent for a good while as he drove and he wondered if she was questioning his judgment.

"Mom?"

"That's a lot to get through. You were so brave through it all."

"Really? I didn't feel brave and I did some questionable things."

"You mean when you murdered Mallory or those men from last night?"

"Yes. I think some people can be redeemed when given the chance, but when I killed those men I let my rage fuel me and didn't give them the chance Goku would have."

"Vegeta killed people without giving them an option," Bulma said simply, "and I never thought him a bad man after he came to Earth. He would mention, never in detail, some of the things he'd done before and they were terrible but always at the behest of Frieza. I won't excuse the terrible things he's done but he was always sure every person he ended deserved it. You are the same way. Sometimes Gohan and Goku's second chances paid off like with Vegeta but with Frieza…well some men don't want to change. There is a difference between a man who wants to be better but feels he can't and isn't deserving of redemption and a man who doesn't want to be better and enjoys committing atrocities."

"Mother…I."

"For something good to come about sometimes a man must sacrifice what's right to get a good end. Killing evil men who will never change doesn't make you worse than them and the very fact you feel remorse at all is testament to your goodness alone son."

"I don't know what to say."

"Honestly Trunks by ridding the world of villains you've probably saved countless lives. That's how you should look at it. Every evil man you kill is effectively sparing hundreds."

"I guess. I don't regret killing the Androids, that's for sure, but sometimes I wonder if's it's villains or simply misguided people I kill."

"Don't .There is no use wondering that. You can't change what's happened. You can only try to discern the difference as best you can and sometimes you'll fail but that's being human." Bulma closed her eyes, leaning against the chair seat and looking out the window. "Trust your judgment and keep trying to be better and you'll succeed at whatever you do."

"You're getting pretty sappy," he laughed, glad she didn't seem upset with his actions of late. He was more worried she'd condemn them than anything else.

"I'm tired. Mind if I crash while you drive?"

"Go ahead, I did wake you up in the middle of the night."

"Chichi isn't going to be happy."

"I'm trying not to think about that," he said with some misgiving. It was around four in the morning when they reached Chichi's. The house was dark which was expected. Trunks left Bulma in the car and approached the dwelling. He hadn't been here in a long time, he still felt old memories at every step he took closer to the house. He hesitated at the door, wondering how he was going to break this to Chichi.

He knocked and waited. No answer immediately so he tried harder. A candle flickered inside and a few second later Chichi opened the door. She wore pajamas and had her hair undone, a thing Trunks had never seen. The dark strands framing her face made her appear much younger than she really was, but the lines around her eyes and mouth were unmistakable even in the poor light.

"Hey Chichi." She took one long withering look at him and slammed the door shut. Trunks frowned, not really surprised at her response and knocked again.

"Go away Briefs!" She had taken to calling him by his last name ever since Gohan's death, he wasn't sure if it was because she was trying to distance herself or out of contempt.

"Come on Chichi, you know I wouldn't come here unless it was important!"

"Get off my property!"

"I need your help!"

"I don't care!"

"Bulma needs your help!" There was noise behind the door but it didn't budge. "Remember how many times my mom helped you and Goku! Without the Dragon Radar Goku would have died a thousand times and no luck finding the Dragon Balls."

"You weasel," Chichi opened the door slightly, peering at him with a glare through the cracked door. "Trying to twist my arm by using your mother and her kindness to get into my house! You must have learned it from Vegeta! What do you want? One sentence please and then leave, got it? I won't be kept up all night by you and ranting about old times."

"Bulma needs to stay here temporally, West City isn't safe given the gang violence going on and I can't stay home constantly to ensure her safety. Please Chichi for old times sake?"

Chichi closed the door and Trunks spirits fell. He turned and went to the car, hanging his head as he climbed back into the driver's seat. He could bring her to Roshi's but that lecher's place was a last resort.

He jumped when he heard tapping on Bulma's windshield. Chichi stood there in her nightie with the candle. He rolled the window down.

"For Bulma's sake I will. I don't want you hanging around much though if she's to stay here."

"I'll abide by your decision."

"For once, huh? That's a miracle." He winced at the meaning in her words. "Bring her inside."

"Okay." He shook Bulma's shoulder and she sat up, brushing her hair from her face. Her bun was coming undone. "Chichi has agreed to let you stay here."

"Really? Wait why do you say me? What about you? Has she for─."

"Not yet," he interjected with a gentle smile to reassure her, "but I'll be fine. I'll find some place in Pepper City or West City or maybe I'll go to the country for a while until everything blows over."

"I don't believe that last idea. You never could just drop something like that." He shrugged noncommittal at her words. "Why don't you stay at the house in West City? I don't want scavengers picking through our things."

"I don't feel comfortable with that. If people saw me in West City that means they might attack the house and we can't let anything happen to the Time Machines."

"Right."

"How were the repairs to the Cell Time Machine going?"

"Good. I got the dome repaired but the engine still has a few bugs." Bulma opened the door and went in. Chichi was sitting near the window. "Hey Chichi!"

"Bulma," the two women embraced somewhat awkwardly.

"I'm so sorry to just barge in like this."

"I'm sure it wasn't your idea," Chichi said with a smile. "You can use Gohan's old room, just don't touch his things, okay?"

"Sure." Well that went better than he'd expected.

* * *

"Get out!" Chichi was standing over him, pan in hand. "I said Bulma could stay, not you!"

"Good morning to you too, Chichi," he said with his politest smile.

Chichi glared and raised the pan, "Move! Off my propriety!"

"Okay," he sat up, seeing Bulma making breakfast. Unfortunately he wasn't going to get any toast and omelets. He ducked when she swung the pan at him and waving goodbye to his mother exited the Son residence.

Outside Trunks could still hear Chichi complaining about him having spent the night without her permission. He frowned as he walked away from the house. Blue birds and others he couldn't identify chirped in the trees. A cloud, suspiciously shaped like a carrot, moved overhead, a few gray clouds drifted closer further in the distance. The day was superb. Trunks mood was not. He hadn't visited this spot in a year and coming to see it on such a fine day was ruining his already bad disposition.

He hiked the way, going slowly as he wasn't eager to get there. It would be unkind to his memory for him not to visit it and yet he must because he didn't know when he'd get another chance. He felt uncomfortably hot in his jacket and took it off, slinging it over his arm.

Not much had changed on the walk there. Bright grass dotted the path, trees loomed into the infinite sky and blotted out most of the light, and the path still wove innocently through the landscape. The only difference visible to him was the weeds which had overgrown most of it and made walking difficult. He still remembered summer with Gohan as they cleared out the path to make life easier for Chichi and Ox-King who had to walk by necessary.

He stopped for a while, hacking with his sword at the weeds to clear it. Chichi might appreciate it and it was really the least he could do for her. He sat for some time after, admiring the scenery and trying not to think about what was coming next. After a bit he continued on, clearing as he went and watching out for the turn off that would lead to his destination.

When he arrived he stopped to take it in. This spot hadn't changed much either. The same big oak tree sat in the middle of the small clearing and Trunks could still remember long days spent with Gohan here. Sometimes training, sometimes screwing around, even taking naps here when they were really bored. Gohan would have loved how untouched this spot was if he'd been here. He approached the old oak and ran a hand over the hard bark. The tree had always been fun to climb. He pressed his face against the bark, recalling old memories of humid days and harsh training.

"_Get up," Gohan, arms crossed, snapped at the thirteen year old Trunks. "The Androids won't sit idle when you are recovering your breath or wits. Get up and go again."_

_The planks swung from the strings, twisting and hitting each other and bouncing in the opposite direction. Trunks leaned against the bark of the tree, unmoving at Gohan's insistence. He was sick of trying to dodge inanimate objects and getting smacked in the face or other regions._

"_I need a moment."_

"_Weren't you listening? A moment isn't going to be there in a real fight!"_

"_I know, you think I don't know that? You are always drilling me about how the Androids are merciless, how they will use every trick in the book, and─."_

"_Then get to it and stop blabbing on!" He was starting to get angry at Gohan._

"_I'm done!" He started to walk away, but Gohan got in front of him._

"_You think the Androids will just let you walk off when it gets tough, Trunks? Get back in there or I'll beat you to a pulp."_

"_Do it! I'm not scared of you!" He clenched his fist as Gohan's eyes narrowed and his arms lowered. Gohan raised his fist and hit him in the jaw. He hadn't really expected Gohan to do it. Trunks closed his eyes, hand rubbing his cheek. Pain blossomed in his face and he knew there would be a bruise tomorrow. _

"_Get back in there," Gohan's serious look sent a shiver down his spine when he opened his eyes and saw his mentor's expression._

"_I'm tired of this."_

"_I'm tired of fighting the Androids but I go every day they attack to stop them. You don't see me quitting because it's a little tough, do you?"_

"_I don't want to do this anymore."_

"_What about those children, Trunks, those parents and children and families? What about them?"_

"_I want to help but I'm just not strong enough," his shoulders slumped. Maybe it had been better when Gohan hadn't been training him. He had been able to break whenever he wanted and go at his own leisurely pace, now the work was different, harder, and more tiring than he'd ever expected._

"_Not now and not if you quit this early in, but someday you'll be a Saiyan and then the Androids will tremble at the sight of you. Think of how good it will feel to be able to see that fear in their eyes for once instead of feeling it yourself, instead of watching it on the faces of their victims? Think of that and go back in there."_

"_I'm not a Saiyan, Gohan and even if I was they'd still defeat me. They beat you so I'd be a piece of cake for them. I can't help you beat them, not as weak and useless as I am." His shoulders were trembling. He hated that a simple training exercise was getting him so worked up, but weeks of long training and little profit were wearing him out._

"_I know how you feel," Gohan's face softened and he smiled. He knelt down and placed both hands on his shoulders. "Trust me Trunks I feel as helpless as you do, as everyone feels at the moment, but if you keep training you can be the reason that desperation will disappear. You can help overcome them, you just need to trust your own skills and keep growing, even if it's only a little at a time."_

"_I haven't made any progress," he took a breath, trying to stop the rage and hurt from coming out in his tone. "I'm just not as strong as you are."_

"_You will be. Keep trying. That's what matters, that you never give up, never call it quits, because the moment you do is the moment you'll regret for the rest of your life. I know how it feels to train day in and day out and feel like that next step won't make a difference but each time you push yourself further than you feel you can go, it's that step that might be the game changer. I know for a kid your age this must be hard, that you want to do other things and you are frustrated, but you can't stop now, not when there is so much before you. You are throwing this life away if you quit now and not only your life but countless others."_

"_Gohan…"_

"_I'll be here every step you take to urge you on, to keep your spirits up, to be your friend who offers you that reassuring slap on the back, but you need to take the next step for me to do that."_

"_I'm sorry, Gohan, I just hate being weak."_

"_Change that, Trunks, and keep going."_

"_I will."_

"For you Gohan," he muttered, hearing Gohan's voice in his head, his words full of warmth and tenderness that had been denied him by anyone but his mother before he'd met him. He wished his mentor was here now to offer his advice again, to remind him why every moment training was valuable and to give that encouraging pep talk every time he needed it, but Gohan wasn't here.

When Trunks turned he saw the grave marker. It was a simple grey square shaped stone, crudely fashioned by himself to memorialize the spot where Chichi had buried her son. All it read was Gohan, Chichi hadn't wanted anything else for it. The day of his death was engraved in his memories which he supposed was enough.

He went over to it. Some moss was growing on the corners of the stone. He knelt down and scraped off the moss as best he could with his bare hands. Bulma, finding only one thing left she could do for Gohan, had crafted the coffin herself. His mentor's body had been buried in a white coffin, Goku's signature symbol emblazoned on the top and the seven Dragon Balls designed in numbered order along the sides of the coffin with the four star ball design under Goku's symbol.

He could still remember the atmosphere, the faces of those left, of that day.

_The smell of soil, grass, and flowers hung heavy in the humid air just before rain. Trunks looked at the sky with a somber expression, willing the gloomy clouds to go away and not begin the torrent he knew was coming. Was it not bad enough Chichi was sobbing enough tears to drench a rainforest? Why did it have to rain on this inauspicious day of all days?_

_He glanced at Bulma. She was wearing a formal blouse, long skirt, and wide brimmed hat. He wondered if she'd dressed like that for his father's funeral. Had Vegeta even been given one? He didn't think his mother would have let him not be buried nor the others for that matter, but had they had time before being murdered themselves? Piccolo had been the first to die, then Vegeta, and slowly the rest until only Gohan, Bulma, himself, and Chichi remained behind. Had Gohan, Chichi, and Bulma buried all of them? He couldn't imagine how painful that might have been. He could barely stand seeing Gohan lowered into the earth._

_Ox-King carried the coffin and set it down into the plot with moist eyes. Chichi clung to Bulma and his mother ran a hand over the grieving women's back, not saying a word of comfort. What comfort could she offer anyway? Lies that everything would be fine or that the Androids would suffer for this wouldn't bring Gohan back._

"_Gohan! My boy!" Chichi wailed, tears streaming down her cheeks as she babbled something further he didn't catch. When Ox-King came to her side Chichi flung herself into his arms and he held her, whispering soft soothing noises and saying her name. _

_Trunks watched this scene with rising anger. Why had Gohan died and he'd lived? It just wasn't fair, but seeing his mother standing so demurely beside the remains of the Son family he realized he was all she had and at least Chichi still had her father. Bulma's father had died from old age several years ago and Mrs. Briefs had gotten cancer and never recovered. Vegeta was dead and all her friends. If he had died in Gohan's place…would Bulma have wept as heartily as Chichi? _

_No, he thought, she wouldn't have wept. She would have locked herself in her laboratory and worked until she forgot his name, just as she had done for Vegeta. Then she would emerge full of hope, making wild claims that her Time Machine would fix everything soon, and that she wanted some coffee or tea. That was how Trunks had always seen her, impenetrable to real grief, too delusional to see that no one was going to ever come back._

_He was so angry at that, his energy level was rising rapidly but he did nothing to quell to coming Saiyan transformation. How could she stand there so dry eyed and indifferent. It pissed him off so much. She was like those damn Androids, so untouched by normal human emotions._

_He rose into the air to the shock of those gathered and left, taking off into the direction of the distant mountains. Growing up Gohan had taken it many times to these mountains to play, find food like berries or fish, and later on to train. He reached his favorite spot, the one Gohan had shown him first and the one they had visited the most often and sat under the shade of the nearest tree. He let his rage disintegrate as his tears fell down his cheeks. It wasn't fair._

Even now he still thought it wasn't fair that he had lived and Gohan and the others had died. Before he'd met them he had only known them through Chichi, Ox-King, Gohan, and Bulma, but having gone into the past had opened his eyes and changed his perspective. They weren't just nameless faces with odd traits he couldn't relate to anymore. Each one of Earth's defenders had become a friend, like meeting a long lost acquaintance and becoming close. Krillin was like a funny uncle who tried too hard, Piccolo a distant but reliable relative, Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yamcha were cousins who'd be there to bail you out if you got into trouble, and Goku was like the friendly brother-in-law who never stopped believing in you. They'd become his family in that short time, they'd become part of the reason he'd striven so hard, and he was proud and glad to have met him.

Vegeta, who at times he'd hated and loved, had left an impression that would never fade. His father, so proud of his heritage and his strength, his indomitable will even under the iron shackle of Frieza, his staggering persistence Trunks knew he'd gotten only a tenth of in his own person were all admirable qualities. Vegeta may have been cold and unfeeling at times, disregarding others when more alluring fights and thrills awaited and arrogant to the point of folly but one couldn't cast a stone at him unless they were perfect.

Even Goku had his faults underneath that carefree, friendly attitude. He often pressured Chichi into agreeing to Gohan skipping his lessons, ignored the sagely advice to defeat his enemies quickly in order to get a good fight, and goofed around to the point of frustration, but his other qualities all masked those weaknesses. Vegeta's bad qualities were just so glaring at times whereas Goku put on a smile and all was forgiven.

He wondered what Vegeta, Goku, and them had all thought of him in the end. Had the Bulma of that dimension thought him a good man, a son to be proud of? She had treated him well while he'd been there, even cutting his hair for him. He didn't doubt her affection then or now, but loving and being proud of him were two completely different things. Someone could still love another while being disappointed in their conduct. His father may have attacked Cell to avenge his death but that didn't mean he thought him worthy of his Saiyan blood or proud of him, that just meant he cared to some extent.

The Vegeta of this timeline wouldn't have even cared if he'd been killed. His mother had always made Vegeta's indiffence plain to him. The three years before the Androids had murdered him Vegeta had been an absent father and uncaring when she tried to contact or see him to inform him of how his son was progressing. His complete disregard for Bulma as a person and his almost scorning attitude towards non-Saiyans had kept her ineffectively at a distance in this universe. He may have changed in the other timeline due in part to his coming to the past or it might entirely been an unfathomable change like the fact the Androids of his timeline were weaker and more evil than Goku's time. Vegeta wasn't entirely to blame for his neglect Bulma had always added, his Saiyan culture treated children like cattle to be raised and used purely as weapons, marriage was unheard of and lovers only coupled to get children, not out of love.

Having met the Vegeta of the other timeline had given him hope that the father of this one might have ended up differently and been more involved with him in time if he'd lived. It had been amazing meeting his father and seeing what he was like instead of merely hearing about it. No one had accurately described Vegeta's mannerisms, his stoical attitude towards everything but fighting, his obsessive nature with his goals. It had been a pain and a pleasure and he knew if given the chance to repeat it or have it never happen he would have unquestioningly picked to see him again.

Would his father have done the same was the burning question which occasionally haunted him. He thought of Gohan. Gohan would have sacrificed himself again to save the other timeline and help theirs, there was no doubt in his mind and thinking about it further he knew Gohan wouldn't have traded their friendship for anything, even a better timeline. Would the Gohan of the past timeline have wished him away if it meant never having to fight the Androids and Cell? He couldn't believe that of Gohan, even a similar yet different child version of him.

"Gohan," he said the name, the first time he'd been able to say that name since returning to his own timeline without anger. "Gohan…"

He ran a hand over each letter of the embossed name, letting his hand fall onto his knee. He took a deep breath, trying anxiously to still the turmoil of emotions rising to the surface, he usually kept them buried beneath his exterior and focused on mind numbing activities like training.

Gohan, he thought, would his mentor have been proud at how strong he was now, at how he'd ended up as a man? Was he finally that man that Gohan had seen in him for years but he'd never quite felt he'd attained? He wasn't sure. He didn't feel much different from when he'd left his timeline, maybe less hopeful than he'd been when he'd first returned and less sure of his actions. He hated feeling so indecisive, his whole childhood and young adult life had been spent wishing he had the opportunities that now presented themselves and yet here he was, on the brink of a rebuilt world, and feeling just as uncertain and hopeless as he'd been during the Androids, just for different reasons. Was this what it meant to be an adult, to never really know one's course and to just muddle along and hope things turned out fine in the end?

How had Gohan coped with all the responsibilities and still kept smiling? How had Goku kept the flame of hope alive when it was darkest? Trunks wished Gohan was here to tell him how to keep going on without quitting, that Goku could place his hand on his shoulder and give him a wordless boost of confidence just by giving him a thumbs up to say he was doing great.

That wasn't possible though. Gohan couldn't guide him and without his mentor here to assure him and keep him pointed in the right direction he felt like he was failing at every turn. How could a man as self-assured, righteous, and good as Gohan see him and his actions and not think he was a failure. Trunks sighed, closing his eyes tightly and trying to think away the hurt emotions which were closing in around him. He grabbed a clump of grass and soil into his hand, liking the grainy texture against his calloused fingers and palm and focused instead on the physical sensation rather than his emotional troubles.

He sighed, pressing his face against his knees and taking deep breaths. When he'd been young he'd seen a child his age do this position when a panic attack was coming, it couldn't hurt anything to try it. After a while he stood and brushed the dirt from his pants.

Finding his emotional state slightly better he bid Gohan goodbye for now. He'd come back when there was more time, besides Gohan lived inside his memories and was constantly with him in his thoughts which were far more important than him visiting his grave.

"Don't worry, friend, I'll do my best to make this world the way you'd have wanted it."

He flew away, debating inwardly if going to Pepper City or another was better. In the end he figured it was best he stay close to where the violence was so he could intervene quicker if need be. He landed a mile from the city, anxious in case anyone might see him flying overhead like in West City and started the trek into the unpopulated suburb.

This section was the most destroyed based on his map. It had once had shops lining the streets, a bustling mall, park, and housing units a few blocks away. It was the prefect little community before the attacks and given the close proximity of resources Trunks figured it as good a place as any to find a dwelling for now. He couldn't read any ki nearby which was a good sign and the desolate, crumping ruins and blocks without any intact buildings made it obvious that this wasn't a den of thugs or survivors.

He walked along what little remained for sidewalk, jumping over blast holes and climbing over concrete piles. He scraped his knee but ignored it, he'd endured much worst pain in real fights. A little cut was nothing compared to being blasted through the chest by Cell. He could still remember the taste of his own blood in his mouth. The feeling of pain, the cold grip of death, struggling to remain but wanting the agony to end, of arriving in the other world and afraid his father and others would soon follow.

He shrugged off those hollowing memories and instead looked around for a suitable place. Most of the homes had caved in roofs or dilapidated so much they would cave in soon enough. He didn't like the idea he might go into one and while he slept or did something it would collapse on him. Being Saiyan meant he'd be fine but he didn't want to deal with that concern as well.

He found the least shabby house on the block with a good roof and went inside. There were two bedrooms, he took one with the more comfortable bed, and checked the kitchen for supplies. Most of the utilities and kitchen objects were there as they weren't really things one would risk their life to get and sell.

He checked the refrigerator and immediately regretted it when the sink filled the air. He took the refrigerator outside as far away as he could and spent the next few minutes dumping the moldy contents into a neighbor's garbage can. He swore he'd seen maggots and other slimy things inside. He bought the refrigerator back to the current house and put it back in place. There was black encrusted food inside still and it needed a thorough cleaning before it would be even remotely usable. The fear of contaminating his food made him deem it a lost cause and he figured he could put the food in something else.

The next minutes were spent cleaning and doing his best to rid the place of mold, dust, spiders and cobwebs, and other unpleasantness. The roof and walls needed some work but without tools and supplies that would have to wait. He figured he wouldn't be staying long enough to warrant any extensive structural repairs in the end. He found in the bathroom the sign that termites were present. That wasn't too surprising, they were rampant in every place Trunks had ever been.

Finding there wasn't much else to clean at the moment without proper supplies he decided to spent the rest of the day training and eventually finding some food. They had a vegetable plot by the house which was going to be a pain when they got back. Bulma was going to throw a fit about all the wasted food.

He sighed and went outside to train. It was going to be a long few months waiting for the Time Machine, he thought morosely, being alone in this landscape was going to be tough. He wasn't use to being without his mother like this and the last year he'd been in human contact fairly constantly. As much as he may have wanted to see Bulma or Melanie and them for company he wasn't prepared to endanger more people through his own actions. He'd wait until he could return to the past and get the Dragon Balls, he was sure they would solve his world's problems. In the meantime he would just have to train and hope the gang violence didn't escalate out of control.


	7. Chapter 7: Golden Warrior and Déjà Vu

Trunks awoke feeling refreshed. He hadn't slept that well in quite a while and certainly not this late. He sat up, throwing the pleasantly warm comforter off and looking for his shirt. He shuddered when his bare feet touched the cold wooden floor. It creaked noisily and he winced, wondering how stable this place really was. He picked his shirt up, boots, and sword and left. He went outside to an overcast morning, dew clinging to the grassy lawns of the area and fog forming in the distance. He sighed, disliking the impending rain the day was setting up for.

He searched for nearby ki and to his surprise came across a faint echo of a single person. The person was at least a mile away, to the northwest and not moving fast which meant likely walking. He frowned, wondering why anyone would venture to this part of Pepper City.

He didn't want to give himself away and make his presence known in case it was one of the gangs so he decided not to fly. He had to be sure it wasn't a gang member though before he let the person go freely about, he couldn't risk being detected by the gangs this soon, it could bode ill for his group if he tried reaching them. The gang wasn't after the people of Hal's but they might target them if they knew he frequented there. He didn't want that, not after Walter.

He followed the slow moving ki, it seemed concentrated in one area which was good. The buildings got worse in condition as he followed the ki along. He paused when he spotted the building the person was inside. The place was two interconnected buildings, one a depilated senior home and the other a hospital with a collapsed in roof. The hospital was the riskier of the two and from the looks of it had been raided long ago. The person inside though was in the senior living quarters.

Trunks approached noting how the person had jammed a chair in the doors to keep them propped open and easier to escape through if need be. He hesitated on going inside, maybe waiting outside was better. It would be easy enough to hide outside and spot the person leaving and identify them that way. He considered this until he heard the cry from inside.

He rushed through the doors and dust displaced and filled the air with a musty smell as he charged in. He glanced around for the quickest way to get to the second level. The stairs were creaky as he ran up them and one side had broken in and revealed the dark basement below. He was hit by the rancid smell of decay as he ascended the steps, the smell no doubt that of bodies inside their final resting place.

He found the door and opened it. The ki he'd sensed was a girl. She was around his age, a year or two older or younger he couldn't discern. She gave him a startled look when she saw him standing there. It was evident from the scene before him why she'd yelled. Beside her lay the corpse of the resident of this room, a spider crawling through its empty eye socket. He shuddered at the grotesque image and instead focused on the living person.

"What are you doing here?" She asked this as if it was normal to find another person in a place like this.

"I heard you yell."

"You must have been awfully close to have heard that," she set her shoulder bag on the table stand beside the bed and rummaged through the drawers.

"Yes," he said indecisively, wondering if she'd care to inquiry further about him being in this part of town.

"Not a bad idea coming here," she said simply, finding nothing in the drawers and shouldering her bag again. "It's a ripe place for picking," she gave a smile that was almost charming and then frowned, looking suddenly older and sterner. "Don't think about taking anything from here. This is my space."

"Your space?"

"New to scavenging huh? There are territories that belong to certain people and this one is mine."

"How do you define the borders though?" He asked, understanding why she was here now.

"If a scavenger beats you to a place you don't come barging in and take what is there's. It's the only code we have so abide by it."

"I'm not here to steal anything. I thought you might need help."

She laughed, going over to the closet and flinging the doors open. She tossed her bag on the ground and began shifting through the shirts. On the door of the wardrobe was a mirror and her face was reflected it in as it swung back and forth and ran out of momentum. Trunks frowned, uncertain if he should stay or go on his way. He didn't feel quite comfortable leaving her in a place like this.

"Doesn't this turn your stomach a little," he gestured to the body. She ignored his question in favor of examining a fleece moth eaten jacket and decided to stuff this into her bag. She found a shoe box on the floor and opened it. Inside were some pictures and a few keepsakes. She set the pictures aside and lifted a harmonica out of the box. She blew a few notes. The noise was unfamiliar and strange. He may have lived briefly in the other timeline and heard music but it always blew him away with its beauty.

"This is going to fetch a pretty penny," she declared enthusiastically. "I know a few people who will pay big bucks for something like this."

"Doesn't it bother you to be stealing from other people?"

"Dead people," she turned and met his eyes. "You can't survive nowadays without stealing from someone. Even taking from an abandoned store is still stealing from a dead person who owned it before they died. Don't play the morality game with me and who are you to judge me?"

By her anger it was clear others had posed similar questions and it made her uncomfortable. She carefully wrapped the harmonica in a t-shirt from the wardrobe and placed it inside her pack. She left the remaining items where they were.

Trunks came over and picked up the scattered pictures. An elderly woman with thin gray hair and bright blue eyes stared happily out of the picture. A tall brown haired man was in his thirties, possibly forties, stood beside a young blonde wife and little child. The background showed the room they were currently in, before it had been damaged by time. The wall had once been covered in family portraits and the walls a bright yellow. Happiness had been shared in this room even with the sickness and looming death that the elderly grandmother had faced.

Another picture showed the young granddaughter playing with dolls with what was likely a friend or brother. Another was the son graduating from college and his mother proudly beside him in her younger years. There was a whole lifetime in these pictures, a lifetime of mostly joy and family. His heart tightened painfully, aware he'd never had such carefree times. Neither had the girl. He lifted his head only to find her gone.

He pocketed the picture of the whole family and put the others back into the box. He put it back where it belonged and shut the closet door. The girl was in another room. This time they were spared the corpse as the bed was empty.

"What are you looking for?"

"Nothing specifically," she said, her voice strained as she eyed him distrustfully. "Medicine would fetch the best price but I haven't found any."

"I'm sure it would."

"That's why you came here right? Figured this was the best place to find medicine and less likely to be raided."

"I already told you I'm not here to steal."

"Then why are you still here?"

"I want to make sure nothing bad happens. This isn't exactly the safest place." That was one reason; the other unspoken one was to make sure she didn't follow him back into the suburb. He didn't need her following him and reporting his activities to Memorialia or Laburrak. He had long come to the conclusion that few people could be trusted and if someone had seen him in West City it could happen again.

"Right," her sarcastic tone annoyed him but he didn't pursue it by being derisive back. She pulled a draw open and shut it after a few moments. She was being rather thorough he noted as she began rummaging through a chest.

Silence followed them into the third room, at the fourth room she turned and glared at him. "I think you are expecting me to do all the work and you can wait until I've found something valuable and take it. That isn't going to happen, understand?"

"I don't intend that I swear." Her unconvinced expression remained as she went back to scavenging. He wasn't exactly sure how long she spent scavenging through the wreckage as he watched in boredom. Most of that time he spent thinking about the people who had occupied the rooms prior to the attacks.

"Well I think there is only one room left on this floor," she said cheerfully.

"That's good." He pushed off the wall he'd been leaning against, about to follow her into the hallway. The creak the floor made as she stepped into the hallway was deafening and suddenly it was shaking like an earthquake was about happen. Both tensed, unsure what was happening. The next moment the floor fell through. He grabbed her by the arm, dust and darkness lay below where she might have fallen and broken something if not worse. He lifted her up and into his arms, flying over the hole and down the steps.

"I've never had that happen before," she mumbled. She was trembling, eyes wide in her stunned face.

"I told you it was dangerous. Doesn't surprise me much, the hospital's roof already caved in."

"I've heard about cave ins but never seen one," she clutched at his arm tightly. "Get us out of here."

He did as she commended and safely outside set her down on the grass. She just sat there, rubbing her arms and looking too stunned for words. After a moment she seem to collect her wits and she looked at him sharply now.

"You flew," her matter-of-fact tone made it so he didn't know how to respond.

"Don't be ridiculous," he ran a hand through his hair.

"You did. You flew over the hole."

"I did not. The experience must have been somewhat traumatic."

"I've seen worse," she stood, wiping dust from her pants where it had collected due to the dust cloud. She seemed to be second guessing herself and eventually just settled on not continuing the topic.

"You alright?"

"Fine. Nothing to complain about thanks to you. I appreciate it, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there."

He smiled, genuinely happy he'd been there to help her. If he hadn't been there she might have been hurt, possibly trapped and may not have survived. "No problem. Just be more careful next time. It's not always safe."

"I know that but what can I do? I have to eat somehow." She pulled out the harmonica from her bag and held it out. The sunlight caught the metal of the instrument and made it shine. It probably hadn't seen the light of day in twenty year, the dust was a telltale sign of sitting unused.

"What?"

"Take it. It's my thanks for what you did."

"I thought you weren't going to let me take anything from you after you did all the hard work?" He smiled and clasped his hand over hers and the harmonica. "Sell it or keep it. It's yours and I don't need it. You could do me a favor though."

"Anything for the guy who just saved me."

"Play it."

She hesitated, "I don't know how."

"Doesn't matter." She self-consciously lifted the instrument to her mouth and blew. It sounded awful but beautiful all at once and Trunks listened, trying to imagine what a skilled player might achieve with it. He could just imagine how nice it would have been.

"Thanks," he said when she ran out of breath and lowered it, her cheeks red as tomatoes.

"That was kind of fun," she smiled back. "Oh I don't suppose my savior has a name?"

"Trunks."

"I'm Biana, it's a nickname," she shrugged. "I should probably get going. I'm sure you have other things to do than rescue girls from buildings."

"I guess I'll see you," it felt funny to say it. To act like saving someone from a cave in and seeing them the next day was actually going to happen. He waved goodbye as she turned and started to walk away.

"Thanks Trunks," she called over her shoulder and began playing the harmonica again. For once he'd saved someone he thought, for once in a long time he hadn't failed. He felt pumped at that and looking up at the sky and finding it suddenly a beautiful day wasn't a bad thing either.

* * *

Biana frowned when she reached her house. It had been a long tiring day scavenging and then haggling over selling prices. She dumped her bag out onto her bed and sat down. She pulled her shoes off, rubbing her feet as she examined the items left over. She hadn't been able to sell the brooch she'd found in one of the rooms today, but she knew it would fetch enough for food for a couple days if she went outside of Pepper City and sold it to the country people. She just didn't quite look forward to making the taxing journey that required just yet.

The harmonica was still there too. The remembrance of a time of joy didn't exactly appeal to the half dead citizens of Pepper City, but the people of the country might buy this item too. She picked it up and played a brief tune, the distillation of the quiet of her home by the noise was unsettling and she quickly stopped. She remembered Trunks and frowned, setting the harmonica back onto the bed.

She went over to the dresser and shifted through the contents until she found what she was looking for. She could still remember her brother's words in her ears.

"_Biana," her big brother Lamark smiled, sitting down next to her. "Look what I found!" He showed her a badly drawn picture of a man with blonde hair and teal eyes._

"_What's that of?" A thirteen year old Biana asked._

"_Years ago when I was just a kid I remember seeing this guy on television," he smiled happily. The memory was apparently a fond one. She was sad she hadn't been old enough to share in the happy __nostalgic memory._

"_See this guy was something else. He was great. He was on the news a lot at that time. I remember because it was around the time our parents divorced. Anyway this alien thing," here he showed her a sketch of a weird purple and white monster blob. "This guy was killing people and I think he was like the Androids, he had some odd mechanical parts on him if I remember right."_

_She tried to imagine this weird image of an alien monster thing attacking people. All she could think of was the horrible Androids and that usually scared her so she stopped the thoughts before they could overwhelm her._

"_So?"_

"_So this guy was nasty, like Android nasty and went around being a real jerk." He was playing it off like it was no big thing but she could tell he was only treating it lightly it for her. He did that a lot and it often annoyed her. "No one could stop this monster but then golden haired savior came, he flew over to the monster and started beating him up. It was great!"_

"_Yeah," she tried imagining the golden warrior in orange beating up the Androids and avenging their parents. It was a sweet little fantasy. "Then what?"_

"_He blasted that monster into oblivion. A big lightshow, it was amazing! Thankfully some news companies recorded it and I remember watching it on television. He was my childhood hero. No one knew his name or where he came from but he was a legend after that. I always wondered why he never saved us from the Androids too."_

"_He sounds great!"_

"_Yeah," Lamark shrugged. "I sometimes think he was a fake, that the news stations made it up and he wasn't real. That they did it for publicity…but other times I wish he was here to save us again."_

"_He was real!"_

"_I wish I believed that too, Biana," he touched her head in that gentle way of his. "Anyway time for bed, sis."_

"_Already?"_

"_It's way pass your bedtime. Mom wouldn't approve."_

"_But Mark!"_

"_None of that. Get some sleep."_

That golden haired flying warrior who beat that monster…had that been a tale to help her sleep or a real person? That Trunks, as hard as it was to believe, had flown over that caved in floor. Was it really that big of a stretch to assume this golden fighter and Trunks were real given the Android threat which had plagued them for years?

That man…that savior of their entire race…where had he been during the Androids and this Trunks who could fly why hadn't he helped them? She felt rage rising, here were two people who could have reversed the fate of their world and they'd done nothing! If she'd had their powers she would have saved lives, not squandered that precious gift. If she ever saw him again she'd give him a piece of her mind.

* * *

Trunks struck the air with his fist, sweat dripping from his brow and reached for his container of water. The drink went smoothly down. He reached for the towel and wiped his forehead and temple. It was getting so hot out now. As much as he liked summer the heat could get scorning and exercising was bothersome. Vegeta would have relished in the additional hardship, saying the sun wasn't a problem and he was pansy. He poured water over his head in an effort to stay cool. If Vegeta wanted to get a heat stroke he was welcomed to it, he thought nastily, not caring to think of his father criticizing him at the moment.

He was about to resume his training when he felt the ki. Strange that it was more than one person he thought, wondering what was going on. The person wasn't walking by the speed they were going at, it was clearly a vehicle. Thinking it over he decided to check it out. Someone might need his help again and since the last time he was feeling confident he could make a good difference.

He watched the vehicle from afar, spotting the green sports car as it drove. Whoever was driving was in a hurry from how recklessly fast he was going and given the littered terrain the person wasn't being smart. Trunks watched and followed by jumping from rooftop to rooftop, keeping the speeding car in sight.

On the outskirts of Pepper City the car stopped. The drivers got out and Trunks was surprised to see Biana with the men. They were rough looking guys, one even had a scar on his face. He recognized the Laburrak gangs logo, the almost completely formed circle with a line down the middle. The symbol, from what Lenny had told him, had started off as an L that the leader had added a circle too. The circle, a sign of perfection when whole, represented Laburrak's growing need to recruit by being incomplete.

Trunks tensed, feeling déjà vu with how similar to Perdita's death this was. Why were they after Biana? Was it because of the having met him the other day? Was Laburrak keeping that close of tabs on him? His paranoia was amped up at seeing this scene and he vowed that he wouldn't let anything like what Perdita occur again as long as he could stop it. He flew down there, surprising all three people and wordlessly blasted the men into dust.

"Are you okay, Biana?" He asked when he turned to see her horrified face.

"How did you do that? What did you do to them?"

"It has to do with ki. Anyone can learn it. I just know better how to use it than most people."

"Are they dead?"

"Yes. They were going to hurt you weren't they?" He was suddenly regretting his rash decision. Had he just accidentally murdered two innocent people?

"I don't know. I was trying to sell my wares earlier and they had me get in their car with them. I was reluctant of course because they were Laburrak members but how could I refuse? I didn't know what they wanted."

"They were Laburrak members so even if they didn't intend to hurt you they still weren't entirely innocent." That was the only way he could conceivably look at it without feeling regret. "Where they giving you any murderous intentions from their manner?"

"Not that I could tell, but how would I know? I don't exactly run into gang members on an everyday basis and the few I've seen haven't wanted me dead."

"You are safe though, that's important," he examined her from head to toe, looking for any signs of violence and thankfully found none.

"I'm fine. They didn't try anything."

"That's great."

"Wonder why they wanted me?"

"Since you know about my powers I might as well be straightforward with you. They were likely after me given what I did. I killed Memorialia's last leader and now Laburrak wants me to join them and Memorialia wants my head."

Her startled silence made him uneasy. He could feel her eyes and knew she was looking at him differently now. "Really? That was you who killed Mallory? I heard about it but didn't know the details, just that you were wanted dead. I saw some posters but they didn't resemble you that well."

"Really? That's good. I was worried everyone I came across would know it was me instantly."

"I mean they got the sword right and the hair but your eyes were green and your nose too big."

"So a less flattering representation huh?"

"Whatever you say." Slightly burned by that comment but unable to think up an immediate comeback he fell back on saying nothing. "I've been think since I met you three days ago about a story my brother told me growing up."

"A story?"

"About a golden haired blue eyed god. Sound familiar?"

"How did you know?"

"He said he saw it on television." Trunks, deadpan a moment ago, could only stared in stupor. Surely she was joking but as she explained what she knew he could only marvel at the accuracy of her account.

"Frieza and Goku are the people who fought that battle. Frieza was a ruthless tyrant and Goku a really good friend of mine who wanted to save Earth."

"A friend? How is what he did possible?" He explained the Saiyan race to her and how he could change too. "If you are a Saiyan and as powerful as you said why didn't your Goku friend defeat the Androids?"

"Goku died from illness before the Androids arrived. My father and our other friends who could use ki weren't strong enough. They tried but ultimately died at the Android's hands. I survived and eventually became strong enough to beat them recently," he didn't think it wise to tell her about the time travel.

"Show me."

"What? Why?"

"Because I want to see what my brother found so compelling about a myth and besides what's the harm in showing me?"

"I'd rather not. Transforming into a Super Saiyan isn't to be done at whim and it's risky. I don't want anyone picking up my ki reading."

"I thought you said it's very hard to do."

"It is but not impossible. I knew a few humans who could and I'd rather not risk exposing myself if I don't have to."

"Fine," she sound disgruntled at this. "So what now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a wanted Laburrak target at this point because of you. I can't go home without fear of them showing up, especially with their goons dead right? You want to send me out there with a gang of seven hundred after me?"

"No," he answered, "but what can I do to stop them coming after you?"

"Keep me with you, at least until this blows over."

"I don't know how quickly this will change," he muttered.

"You have a hideout so take me there and I'll just wait until you deal with Laburrak. You are a powerful Saiyan right? Go there and destroy them all."

"I wish it was as simple as that. I don't want a massacre, Laburrak may have tons of bad people but there are also good ones involved with them. I'm staying at a place nearby but I don't know how safe that is currently."

"Good people who deal drugs? I don't think I've ever heard that one before," she remarked sarcastically and Trunks felt his face redden.

"I just meant…"

"I know what you meant and it's nice of you but foolish." She sighed, clutching her bag close. "We need to find us somewhere else to stay for the night."

"Getting away from Pepper City at the moment might be a good idea," he was thinking of Chichi's but she wouldn't be too happy to see him this soon and he wasn't sure Chichi would want to take in someone else. Maybe they could go to Hal's and Melanie or Lenny would take her in for a while. It was worth a shot at least.

"I know," she exclaimed with a devious smile. Trunks wasn't sure he liked the mischievous expression. "You can take me to the country. I need to sell a few things anyway and what better time than now? We even have a car to take."

"I guess that works."

"We can figure out the details of where I'll stay when we get back. It will be like a road trip, my brother always said those are fun."

"Your brother Mark?"

"Get in Trunks." He went over to the driver's side as she went to the passenger's. This was going to be a long drive, he thought as he got in and prepared to get out of Pepper City.

* * *

I hope my OCs are okay for everyone since Trunks timeline sort of dictates that OCs are necessary unless I never have him leave Bulma and Chichi or go into the woods/abandoned places the whole chapter. If you are having a hard time picturing the Laburrak gang symbol just think of the Lexus car symbol, looks sort of like that but without being italicized and not a complete circle. Also I intend to focus on Melanie and Lenny and them in more detail later and give everyone back stories and struggles too, not just Trunks is getting angst ridden plots promise.


	8. Chapter 8: Opting Out

Trunks glanced over at Biana, "Where exactly are we going?"

"You're the driver, aren't you?" She set her bag in her lap and leaned her head against the seat, looking out the window. "Doesn't really matter to me where we go."

"Okay," he said back. A half hour passed in quiet, Trunks occasionally checking his watch to make sure they were going in the right direction. Biana pulled out the harmonica and played it. A half hour later and probably out of boredom she was asleep, her bag used as a pillow against the window.

Trunks drove all day, stopping once to pick up some food from an abandoned store and continuing on. He only decided to stop when it was getting late. He pulled into the lot of an old hotel and turned the car off. He shook her shoulder to wake her, her horrified expression when she awoke relaxed a second later and she gave a sheepish smile.

"Nice place," she said sarcastically, eying the building with disdain.

"Good enough for one night," he kicked the door in of the room nearest to their car and went inside. The first bed was empty, the second wasn't. Trunks frowned at the corpse as Biana quickly left the room. The person, possibly a female from the clothes, had opted out of living through a razor that sat next to her hand, thinking it was better dead than living in an Android world. He picked up the body and took it outside.

"What are you doing?"

"Burying whoever this was."

"You are nuts, you know that? It's a skeleton, just leave it!"

"It was a person once," he snapped back.

"Kick this next door in before you do that at least," she asked this like a meek child. Trunks did so and went back to burying the person in the backyard of the hotel. There wasn't much room but it would do. He marked the spot by placing a stick in the ground.

Biana was unpacking her bag when he entered. He sat on the other bed, listening for noise. The movement of her hands and items was the only noticeable sound. He looked for any nearby ki and was started to find two readings upstairs.

"Biana?"

"What?"

"There are people upstairs."

"Another skeleton?"

"No, a living person, looks like two people."

She lifted her head to meet his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"What do you want to do? Should we leave?"

"No, I can check it out. Better we see what we are dealing with."

"I suppose nothing scares a Saiyan huh?" She gave a nervous laugh.

"Stay here," he said, rising from the bed and exiting the small musty room. He went upstairs and paused at the door of the room the ki was reading from. He knocked, waiting for a response. When none came he called out, "Is anyone in there? Hello? I'm not here to cause trouble, just passing through."

Silence followed and he could feel the ki inside move from one room to another. He sighed, he really shouldn't expect things to be easy. He pushed the locked door in and went inside. No one was in the bedroom. He turned to the bathroom door, hearing shuffling feet. He went to the door, "Don't be scared. I'm not here to hurt you."

"Go away!" The voice was clearly pubescent which worried him more than if the person had been an adult.

"Hi, what's your name?"

"None of your business!" Trunks went to the door and pushed it open ajar. "I have a gun…so…stay back!" The frantic tone signified the person was scared and it unnerved Trunks to hear a little kid frightened of him.

"I'm not here to hurt you. I'm traveling to the country and we needed a place to spend the night."

"We?" This other voice sounded even younger than the first.

"Stay quiet, now he knows there is more than one of us," reprimanded the first voice.

"I have a," he hesitated at the word, "friend. A cute girl."

"A cute girl?" The voice was almost hopeful, that only lasted a moment though. "I'm not falling for that! Get out of here!"

"We are waiting for our mother and when she gets here you'll be sorry!" The second voice cut in unexpectedly.

Trunks paused, unsure of what else to say and settled on, "If you need anything we are in room four and we have food and whatever else you can imagine."

"Piss off!"

Trunks reluctantly backed away and went back downstairs. Biana started when he walked in and he frowned, seeing his jacket and photos spread out on the bed.

"What were you doing?"

"I just saw your jacket and um…"

"You were trying to steal from me?" Trunks wasn't sure how to take that as she blushed and looked away.

"It wasn't like that. I thought…"

"What?" He sat on the bed and looked at the pictures laid out. One was that elderly women and her family he took from that senior home, the other was a picture he'd snatched from that house he'd spent that brief time in, and the last was one of him and Gohan.

He picked up the one of Gohan. His mentor was wearing the orange outfit he constantly put on in remembrance of Goku, his face lit up with joy and strangely he looked younger than Trunks remembered him ever looking. His younger self, who was barely eleven or twelve from his guess, he couldn't quite remember his exact age in this photo, looked stunningly happy. He could barely remember any joyful moments from that time of his life, but being with Gohan had made his life easier and happier.

"Who is that with you in that picture?"

"His name was Gohan, he was my mentor growing up and a Saiyan like me."

"So you aren't the only Saiyan? What do you mean was?"

"I am the only Saiyan left. The rest of the Saiyans, including my father, Goku, and some friends of ours, were killed by the Androids. Goku, the warrior your brother told you about, had a son named Gohan. When the Androids first came Gohan was a kid and I was a baby. Over the years Gohan trained, trying to beat the Androids but eventually he realized he would need my help. Before I got strong enough to help beat the Androids Gohan was murdered by them and it was left up to me to destroy them."

"You did though. That's why they disappeared as suddenly as they had come?"

"Yes." Trunks lifted his eyes to stare into hers, they were gray like the clouds that day the Androids took the light from his life. He looked away, not wanting to remember that day.

"I'm sorry about your friend. I think we've all lost people since the Androids came," she said this softly, looking sad.

Trunks didn't know what to say to cheer her up and doubted any words would be able to anyway. He grabbed the photos instead and put them back into his jacket pocket.

"Don't try stealing from me again," he said somberly.

"I wasn't trying to. I thought you might have some food in your jacket." When he remained quiet she added, "I may be a thief of dead people's things but I am not a liar."

"I would have told you if I still had food." He said at last, not sure her explanation was enough. Deciding to let the matter go for now he shrugged, "I'll go and get some food in a bit. First off I want to clear the hotel of bodies. They deserve proper burials like any other person."

"Would you have done that at the senior home?"

"After you left yes. I hate seeing people left to rot. If it was me I'd want someone to care enough to put my body in the ground."

"That's an archaic tradition," she flopped onto the bed, closing her eyes. With her eyes hidden he could almost look at her without missing Gohan in the process. "I think I'd just want people to respect my body enough not to cannibalize or rape it. The sicko's of the world come out in droves when they think they can get away with something."

Trunks shuddered at the imagery her words conjured. Surely people were decent enough to not do either of those things to the dead? It was wishful thinking on his part, he thought disgustedly, some people were monsters without social constraints. All the more reason for him to bury the dead knowing recent corpses were so mistreated.

He went to the first door and kicked in it. The smell of death and dust he was gradually becoming accustomed to. Inside it was dark but the bright sunlight streaming in from the open entrance shed enough light that he could see well enough. The red carpeted floor, the soft pink walls, and red silk sheet bed marked this room as the love suite. He found no one inside.

Room two had a broken window. The white walls, drab carpet, and plain linen was a replica of the room they were in. Even the mountain photograph on the wall was the same, though this room's photo was slanted to the left. There was a cigarette pack and a lighter on the table. He picked up the zippo and flicked it open. He tried starting it several times to no avail. He pocketed it despite that, figuring he could find fluid and use it in emergency circumstances if needed. He checked the bathroom to be sure no one was inside. He winkled his nose when he saw the murky left over water in the tub.

Room five was the same. On the bedside table was a magazine from over eighteen years ago, a dime and some pennies, and an empty beer can. He picked up the magazine and flipped through it, surprised at the content. He closed it, face heating up uncomfortably. He rolled up the dirty magazine and put it into his jacket. Looks like someone spent their last time on Earth indulging in the carnal pleasures in this magazine. It did beg the question why no bodies were in here though. Trunks only explanation was that the guy had tried running for his life, most people did, only to blasted by the Androids.

Room six's door was jammed, he leaned against the door and pushed lightly, something was blocking the way. There was a strange smell almost like rotten eggs coming from the room. He kicked the door in, watching it smash into the back wall and send the mountain portrait crashing to the ground. He winced at the sharp noise, wondering if he'd bothered those kids upstairs or Biana.

The thing blocking the door had been dislodged. Trunks frowned at the chair, one leg had been busted off when he'd kicked the door off the hinges and this had knocked the chair down. He wondered why anyone would put it there. Had whoever put t there been afraid of the Androids? If the army hadn't taken the Androids out what made the person think blockading their door so feebly would work?

He scanned the room and found no one inside the bedroom. In the bathroom he found a full tub. This one was clean water compared to the last bathroom, the water was brown but had no mold yet. Trunks went over to the tub and reached inside. His fingers hit the drain plug and he yanked it out. As he was withdrawing his arm he felt something brush against his hand. He grimaced, ran to the sink, grabbed a towel off it and wiped his hand clean. What the hell had that been? He had only moments to wait.

He sat on the toilet seat and watched as the water slowly swirled down the pipe. He clutched his hands together, taking a deep breath as the water sank and revealed what his imagination had hoped wasn't the case. He rested his face in his hands, wondering what he should do with the corpse in the tub.

He stood and approached the tub. The body, once recognizable as human, was hardly identifiable anymore. The body was bloated and discolored a strange purple. The hair had fallen off and sunk the bottom of the tub, the clothes and the weights used to make the drowning easier remained. He found a bracelet on the corpse's wrist, it was a silver band with the word 'Leah' inscribed. He grabbed the bracelet and shoved it into his pants pocket. Well at least he knew where the unbearable egg stink was coming from now.

He debated touching the corpse and decided against it. There was no way he was touching that with his bare hands. He went back to room four and found Biana was sleeping. He left her alone and decided some food and equipment was necessary before he returned. He went to the nearest store and found food and supplies needed for handling the body. He knew he could leave it if he wanted too, but he wasn't going to do that. He grabbed a bottle of water and tried cleaning the bracelet. It still smelled.

He left the food in room four and went back to room six. He had wondered when he'd arrived what the odd hotel smell was, but had chalked it up to unclean twenty year old rooms, now he realized it was the rotting corpse in room six. He put a mask on, finding the task would be much easier if he could breathe while doing it. He put on three pairs of gloves, not risking touching that corpse with only one pair and pulled the scrubs on.

The body felt like mush in his hands. He ended up wrapping it up in the sheets and blanket in the room. He carried the body outside and dumped it into the hole he'd dug prior to putting his gear on. He torn his gloves, scrubs, and mask off, threw them in, and as quickly as possible recovered the hole. The stink still clung in the air but Trunks figured it would dissipate soon enough. He marked the spot by breaking a branch off the same tree he had used earlier for the last grave and marked the spot.

He found Biana awake now, stifling a yawn as she eyed him. "Thanks for the food."

"No problem," he sat on the bed across from her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bracelet. He ran his thumb over the lettering of the woman's name.

"Where did you get that?"

"It belonged to someone."

"A girlfriend?"

He cracked a stiff smile, "No." Her curious gaze stayed on it so he handed it to her to look at. "I found it on someone earlier."

"It smells awful."

"I tried cleaning it earlier when I stopped to get the food but no luck. Still stinks."

"What happened to those people you went to check out?" She put it on her wrist, "Leah?"

"I think it might be their mother."

"Their mother?"

"There were two kids upstairs and I tried talking to them but they were scared of me with good reason…"

"It's always good to be cautious," she took it off. "Maybe try giving it to them?"

"I was thinking that." He took the bracelet back. "What do I tell them though? That their mother opted out without them and drowned herself? That her body was a bloated unrecognizable mess?"

"Tell them the truth," he met her eyes. Her face was as calmly serious as her voice. "You shouldn't lie to them just because they are children. They deserve to know what happened to their mother and will appreciate it when they get older. Leave out the disgusting part but tell them the gist of it."

"I don't know."

"Wouldn't you want to know if it was Gohan's death and you weren't there? Wouldn't you be more angry if someone lied to you about it?"

"Gohan," his mentor would have told him exactly what to do. Trunks clutched the bracelet tightly, "I'll be right back."

Upstairs was quiet and when he went inside the boys were in the bathroom again. "What are you doing back?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Go away."

"I can't do that. What was your mother's name?"

"Why do you care?"

"Was it Leah?" A moments silence before the door cracked open and a boy's face peered out. His eyes, dark brown pools, stared out at him in confusion.

"How do you know that?" Trunks lifted the bracelet into view, letting him get a good look. He threw it to him and he caught it, dropping his gun in the process. The loud clatter it made when it hit the tiled bathroom floor was the only noise besides his frantic breathing.

"Mom," the transformation from surprise to despair came over the eleven years old's face. His brother, anywhere from eight to ten, came out and yanked on his sleeve.

"Noah?" His brother asked softly, "Where's mom?" His older brother just looked at him, lost for words.

"I can take you to her." They both stared wordlessly a moment before the elderly brother grabbed his brother's hand and nodded. "Why do you have that gun?"

The boy glared, free hand held the gun and bracelet so tight his knuckled turned white. "My mother gave it to me."

"What for?"

"Protection what else?" His quick snappish reply said more than he'd intended.

"How long has your mother been…away?"

"Almost a week."

"Six days," added the younger guy, flashing Trunks a pearly white grin. Trunks smiled briefly back, trying to make them both more comfortable. The boys stopped when they saw the two graves he had dug. The eldest released his brother's hand and went over, sitting down in front of the grave. He looked stricken and Trunks didn't want to bother him at the moment. He gently touched the younger brother's shoulder and moved him over to sit down next to his grieving brother.

"Noah?" Asked the younger boy, running a hand over his nose. Snot was starting to form as he burst into tears.

"Don't worry J, I'm here," Noah reached for his brother and pulled him close. "Mom may have left us but we got each other."

"Not Mama! We already lost Daddy!"

Trunks frowned, staring at the ground and giving them a moment of privacy. It wasn't right, that orphans were made and forgot so easily in this world. He closed his eyes, remembering when Gohan had left him. He'd felt so lost and disconnected from everything, especially his mother's attempts to reach out to him. All her consolation in distracting conversation, in making his favorite food, in being thoughtful of his needs he realized only later had helped him then. How could he help these two boys when he didn't know a thing about them? He felt that same hopeless overwhelm him he'd felt fighting the Androids and he fought ferociously to crush that feeling. There was no point letting his hopelessness get the better of him, it wouldn't console these two crying orphans.

"Hey," Noah was standing in front of him now, nose and eyes red. He ran a hand over his shaved curly stumble. "J is hungry. You said you got food right?"

"I do. Does J have a name?"

"Jeremiah. He prefers J."

"Well Noah and J, my names Trunks." He led them back and into room four. Biana's quizzical look at the sight of the boys didn't go unnoticed.

"I thought you said she was cute, fucking liar," Noah blurted out. Trunks felt his face go red long before Biana gave them a startled look.

"You shouldn't talk like that," Biana scolded. Trunks could still remember the first time he'd said fuck in front of his mother, she'd washed his mouth out with soap. Gohan hadn't condoned curse words either unless the situation called for it.

"Biana's right."

"Just because she's your girlfriend doesn't mean she's cute," Noah proclaimed, crossing his arms and falling onto Trunks bed as Jeremiah found some snacks from the pile he'd collected earlier and began eating.

"She isn't my girlfriend and I only said she was cute so you'd come out."

"Wait so you think I'm ugly?"

"I didn't mean that," he felt embarrassed. He hadn't expected Noah to call him out on saying that earlier.

"Men!" Biana rolled her eyes and began packing her things, "I'm staying in a different room tonight. You can share this room with the tikes."

"I'm eleven, girl!"

"I'm twice your age so don't get on a high horse, kiddo!"

"I'm not a kid!"

"I beg to differ!"

"Noah?" Jeremiah tugged on Noah's sleeve.

"What J?"

"I'm still hungry." Trunks gave him an apple and Jeremiah stared at it with a distasteful face. "I don't like apples. I want gummy bears!"

"We don't have any."

"Get some."

"I want chips," Noah cut in, "Get me some if you are going out."

"I wasn't planning on going out again."

"Oh and Trunks," Biana grabbed his arm and pulled him out the door. "Since you are going out…"

"I never said I was. Why am I being forced to go out again?"

"Because it's easier with your flying ability to go out and we shouldn't waste the car's gas. I need a certain feminine product. It's that time of month," she looked just as embarrassed about telling a virtual stranger as Trunks felt at hearing it from her. His cheeks went red and he looked anywhere but at her face. He'd grabbed them for his mother before but not a girl.

"I guess."

"A change of clothes would be nice too," she said, looking at the ground. "I wear medium for shirts and size three in pants."

"Hey since you are getting her pads mind picking me up some soda too?" Noah asked, sticking his head around the slightly open door.

"I'm only getting what's already been asked," he declared, "I'll be back."

He found the same store as before, walking through the wreckage of the aisles to find the feminine hygiene section. The place had been raided pretty good, he doubted he'd be able to find gummy bears, chips, or soda. Looking through the girly section wasn't that bad given there wasn't anyone here. He wished he'd asked her if she wanted pads or tampons. He couldn't find any tampons so he settled on pads.

He wasn't quite sure what her style was when it came to clothes. She was currently wearing jeans and a black shirt with a green hoodie over it. He figured he couldn't go wrong with a plain t-shirt and some jeans.

The soda aisle was pretty empty but he did find a stray root beer can underneath one of the racks and hoped Noah wouldn't be disappointed. Chips were gone. Gummy bears were out so he grabbed some graham crackers instead. Not exactly a kid's favorite snack but there wasn't much else to pick from. He found a small package of Ho Ho's just as he was about to pass the check outs and snatched it up.

"That's all you found," Noah whined when he saw the root beer and no chips.

"Sorry."

"Lame."

"I got Ho Ho's," Jeremiah smiled and Trunks in turn gave him a thumbs up.

"They didn't have any," he said when he saw Biana eying the pads with annoyance.

"It will do its job I guess. Thanks anyway. Hear that Noah brat, I actually appreciate when someone does something for me." Noah rolled his eyes. From Jeremiah's unconcerned expression they'd been fighting like this the whole time.

"Biana," he followed her out of the room.

"Can I get some privacy," she waved the pad box around.

"I will one second." He glanced behind himself to make sure Noah wasn't listening again. "Can you be more sensitive to Noah and Jeremiah? I told them about their mother."

"I didn't mean anything by it," her tone lowered. "I was just acting normal. I'd expect that's what they'd want after such a day."

"Everyone's different. I don't think I'd appreciate people pretending everything's fine."

"I wasn't trying to."

"I know. You are just being yourself like you said."

"See you tomorrow. What time are we leaving?"

"I was thinking eight or nine."

"Eight sounds good."

"Night," he watched her go, checking her room number was seven as he went back downstairs.

"Hey," Noah said as he walked back in, "are you queer?"

"What kind of question is that?" Trunks asked, mortified that an adolescent knew that kind of word and would ask him. "I don't think that's a polite way to ask that."

"So you are?"

"I never said that."

"Why are you blushing then?"

"I'm embarrassed," he looked over at Jeremiah, thankfully he was asleep. "What makes you think I'm homosexual?"

"Cause your so…what's the word? You got manners and you are nice."

"Well I learned from two of the greatest people," he sat on his bed and Noah came over and sat across from him.

"Oh?"

"Yeah my mother Bulma taught me manners. When I was younger I was what she called a "wild child." One time I went to a friend's house and took my sword and started cutting their tabletop. His mom flipped out. Gohan, the other major person in my life, was my best friend and mentor. He taught me everything my mother didn't, he even taught me how to wield this sword."

"That sounds cool." Noah lifted his shirt and grabbed the gun from where he's stuffed it into his pants. It was too big to fit into his pockets. "My mom taught me all sorts of things too. She taught me how to cook and shoot."

"That's nice."

"She gave me this when she left. She said, "Noah you do what you have to when I'm gone." I was excited, it was the first time her or dad let me use the gun outside of practice. She wanted me to protect J and I would have if anything happened."

"I saw that firsthand."

Noah beamed, looking proud and young and Trunks admired his innocent nature. "Then she didn't come back. I knew she was gone, I knew it when she didn't return that morning. She'd go get supplies and be back before morning on a normal day. I saw her body in the tub the night after she did it. I was scared to go out there without her, for me and J, more than that I didn't want to leave this hotel. It's my last link to her," he started babbling and crying.

Trunks didn't try to hug him or say anything. He remembered his mother at Gohan's funeral. In the end had Bulma become numbed to death? He didn't want Noah to think he didn't care, his words meant a lot and he felt grief for the orphans and the mother, but he could summon no words or tears that he felt would sufficiently help ease the grief. What was the use of telling Noah something that wouldn't help?

"Noah."

"She's not coming back. She said I had to do what I had to when she's gone, but what did she mean!" Noah opened the barrel, revealing two metal bullets. He pulled them out and held them in his hand, "Did she mean I should take this gun and commit suicide like she did?"

"I'm sure she wouldn't want that."

"Shut up! You don't know what she wanted." Noah took a breath, rubbing his hand against his eyes. "I'm not going to commit suicide like her, I'm not going to leave J behind or do that to him. How could she? How could she ask me to take my own life and J's? If she wanted that why didn't she just do it? Why make me do it? I'm just a kid!"

Noah didn't deserve to have his mother thrusting such responsibility upon his shoulders. He shouldn't have to make that kind of decision or be expected to go through with such an atrocious act.

"You are right," Noah lifted his head, tears still streaming down his face. "A kid shouldn't be force to make a decision of that sort, not even an adult should. No one has the right to decide for another if they live or die. I've killed people, Noah, people who hurt others and murdered them and I don't regret it because sometimes the only way to stop some evil is to stuff it out by ridding the world of that person."

He shifted his weight, stretching his legs out. His right leg had started to go numb from sitting in the same position too long.

"Innocent kids like you and Jeremiah…how could anyone ask that of you or anyone else? If your mother thought life wasn't worth living that's her prerogative, but she should never have put that weight on your shoulders. I'm just glad she didn't take that gun and do it herself, you and Jeremiah deserve to live until you are adults and can make that decision on your own."

Noah hiccupped, looking out the window for a while. Trunks wasn't sure if all he was saying was sinking in or not. He smiled though, thinking of Gohan's speeches to him growing up and not be exactly sure what it all meant at the time.

Noah gave a small smile and asked, "Prerog what?"

"Prerogative means a right or privilege belonging to a person. Does that make sense?"

"Sort of," he could tell Noah didn't really get it.

"It basically means that your mother could commit suicide if that was what she wanted to do."

"Oh."

"I'm not saying I wouldn't try and stop her, but in the end it's her life and her choice."

"I see," he rubbed at his temple, "I have a headache now."

"That usually happens with crying." He reached out and sent a small burst of ki into Noah.

"What did you just do? My headaches gone."

"I sent some ki into you. Too much and it would have hurt you, just enough and it has a calming and pain reducing effect. Gohan taught it to me."

"Can you heal people too?"

"No. It's doesn't work that way. I wish it did."

"Tell me a story about your cool powers," Noah said, crawling into bed beside Jeremiah.

"Well my race is called Saiyans…" Strange, Trunks thought when Noah was finally asleep and quiet filled the room, that he was telling so many people lately about his powers when he'd spent years covering it up. It was refreshing to see how open all these people were to his abilities, how it fascinated rather than terrified most of them. Sure Android comparisons aside it was great to have people accepting his Saiyan abilities. Was it because they were accepting him as a person before they found out about his powers?

He closed his eyes and fell back onto the bed and pillow. It was nice to have a semi-comfortable bed for a change. Chichi's beds weren't that great, they were mostly springs and the house in Pepper City had been too soft for him. He missed his old bed in West City. He drifted off, thinking that tomorrow was going to be interesting with the children and Biana.


	9. Chapter 9: Basil Town

Finally, Trunks thought, Noah and Jeremiah were asleep in the back. Jeremiah had his head resting on his brother's shoulder and Noah's head rested against the window. Biana shared a relieved look with him, it felt the kids had been bickering for hours before they eventually grew bored and napped.

"They sure are cute kids."

"They are good boys," Trunks agreed.

"What are we going to do with them?" Biana asked at last. He'd expected the question sooner but he figured she'd held off on asking given hot bottom topic might upset the children.

"Not sure. I can only think of two places to bring them. One's an inappropriate old man's house and the other is Gohan's mothers but I don't think she'd be alright with two children staying there."

"I can't take them to my place and I don't have any friends who would take them in. Which is the lesser evil of those two choices?"

"Chichi I suppose."

"It can't hurt to ask her right?"

"She is already letting my mother stay with her until everything blows over and she dislikes me so… I just don't know if she'll want children around."

"She hates you? That seems like it would hard to do." He blushed at the compliment, he wasn't to them. "I just mean you're so polite, you would think women would find that charming."

"I wasn't always like that," her surprised stare unnerved him. "It's a long story. I think having Noah and Jeremiah might remind her too much of Gohan."

"I guess," she crossed her arms, frowning out the front windshield. "We can't take them with us."

"Who said we are staying together?" He was startled at her words. "I thought I was just taking you to the country and you'd stay there."

"Are you kidding me?" She pursed her lips and gave him an annoyed look. "You are not dumping me off in some far flung town miles away from my hometown. I have too many reasons to stay in Pepper City."

"What reasons? Do you want the gang to find you?"

"Of course not, but I've got reasons for staying. Some secrets shouldn't be revealed," she explained when he gave her a quizzical glance, expecting more of an answer.

"I guess. It's not like I've told you everything about myself either."

"Exactly."

"I don't feel comfortable taking you back to Pepper City."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll go back but that's different, I'm an invincible Saiyan. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

"I can take care of myself."

"Didn't look that way to me," he turned down the windy road. The sun was beaming over the lake ahead, giving a beautiful shimmer to the water. Trunks admired the view of blue and green forest as they drove by. Such beautiful scenery was precious thing in his reality, when destroying the cities had started to become stale the Androids had taken to destroying whole habitats. Trunks could still remember his fascination at the animals of the Z-fighter's world, how even the small squirrels had been amazing to see in person instead of in a book.

He could tell from the sudden quiet and a quick look in her direction that Biana was just as moved. He drove over to the lake and pulled off to the side.

"Why are you pulling over?"

"I thought maybe Noah and Jeremiah might like it." Biana smiled and reached over and awake both boys up.

"What's the deal? I was sleeping."

"Look Noah!" Jeremiah grinned, spotting the lake before they could say anything. "It's a lake!"

"Oh wow!" Noah and Jeremiah were out the door before either adult could stop them. Within minutes they had shed their clothes and jumped into the water, giving loud yelps of joy and Noah cursing the cold water. Trunks got out and sat on the hood of the car, watching the two as they swam awkwardly, flailing about as they tried staying afloat by kicking and moving their arms futilely. Jeremiah came out first, grasping and sputtering water and shaking with laughter. He lay for a long time on the shore before Noah joined him.

Biana smiled, "I wish I'd bought a suit."

"You could swim in your clothes."

"And sit wet all day?" Her smile grew mischievous as an idea occurred to her, "I could wear my dirty clothes. Make sure those two don't look while I change, okay?"

"Okay," he faced forward as she went into the backseat and began changing.

"Want to go for a swim too?"

"No. I use to go swimming with Gohan," sometimes Gohan would push him off cliffs into the water while fighting but Biana didn't need to know that.

"Suit yourself," she was all smiles as she ran pass the two tired boys into the water. The two boys picked themselves up as a second wind came to them and went readily back in. The three began a water fight, splashing and dunking the others mercilessly. Trunks smiled, remembering fun summer days with Gohan and Bulma on the rare occasion she joined them. His childhood wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but those memories would eventually outlive and out weight the bad ones he'd had. For a moment, watching the two happy adolescents and the silly girl Trunks really believed that.

* * *

_The sky was black and the only light in this dim world of darkness was the glowing Dragon Balls at his feet. They were radiant jewels of orange, red stars glowing in the middle of each ball. The one closest to him was the sixth star ball. The dragon was as massive and terrifying as his boyish dreams of those creatures had been. His eyes, bright beacons of red, set just above his sharp fatal teeth. His body gave the appearance of endlessly spirals of green scales and hard yellow underbelly._

_Trunks throat felt constricted as the dragon, merciless eyes locked on the one who had summoned him, waited impatiently._

"_Why have you summoned me?" Asked the booming voice of the almighty dragon of legend. He could still remember bedtime tales from his mother about the dragon when he'd been five and up until his preteens. How they'd asked for silly things like pansies or to save lives, how scary the dragon was that bought so much joy through his wishes._

"_I…"_

"_What is your wish?" He opened his mouth to tell him, to wish for all those he loved back, but his voice refused to comply. The color drained from his face as Shenron, growing angrier by the second, regarded him like a fly to swat away when it buzzed overhead. Expect he made no sound, just bumming into the head of the giant._

"_Well?"_

"_I wish…"_

"_Foolish mortal!" Shenron glared, eyes the color of blood red rubies full of contempt as he opened his mouth, showcasing his set of dangerous human sized teeth. Shenron roared and the sound scattered the darkness, echoing it's mystifying, tremor inducing violence to the furthest reaches of this endless night._

_Trunks felt like a child before an angry parent and his knees buckled and he felt to the ground that wasn't there, staring into the bottomless pit of nothing. He looked at the Dragon Balls, the flickering light stronger than any bulb or candle he'd ever come across, lose their miraculous glow._

"_Foolish Saiyan monkey," Shenron snarled once more, flame blasting from his nose and into Trunks face. He screamed, suddenly able to voice more than two words and protected his face with his hands. When the smoke cleared the dragon and balls were gone. _

_In their place was Frieza, his red heartless eyes the same as Shenron's, his grin ghastly in his mechanical form. His tail flickering behind him as he uncrossed his arms and raised his finger. He pointed straight at him, smiling as he crackled with laughter and screamed, "Stupid monkey!"_

Trunks opened his eyes. The ceiling was a calm light blue. He blinked several times, trying to distill his fear before sitting up. The room was humid and his shirt was sticking to his back. He sat up, rubbing a hand over his forehead. Biana was standing by the window, looking out, a fan fluttering in front of her face.

"I hate coming here. It's always so much hotter here given the latitude," she said when she saw he was up. "Noah and Jeremiah went outside to play with some of the locals."

"I see." The room was spacious with a nice window view of the sprawling downtown area. The bay carpet and calming shades of blue and teal patterned chairs and light wood furniture were all soothing. Within moments his dream was shelved aside all the other unpleasant ones and the little delights of it forgotten as he stood and went to the bathroom. The bathroom was blue décor too, the carpet around the toilet and in front of the sink plush under his feet.

The shower, which served also as a nice sized tub, was white acrylic. Trunks turned the knob to start the shower and once undressed jumped in. The water was a little cold but after some adjusting it reached a pleasantly warm temperature. The water was relaxing and this moment of peace was great. This whole trip had been noisy kids and Biana trying her best to keep them in line which usually resulted in yelling matches between her and Noah.

The steady beat of the water on the smooth floor was surprisingly calming. He needed this, the peace being in the country bought after all the screwed up few weeks. He grabbed the shampoo, lathered up, and doused his hair, wrinkling his nose in disgust when the fragrance scent of coconut hit him. The soap when he finished with the conditioner was a gross lime smell. How did anyone think coconut and lime went together was beyond him. Well at least the coconut was slightly better than Bulma's lavender soaps and hair products.

He stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed and blissfully clean. He didn't usually take showers in the morning given he trained all day, but it was a nice change. He ran a hand over the streamed up mirror, smiling at his disarrayed hair in his reflection. He dried and changed, glad that he'd bought a backup pair of clothing yesterday when they had arrived. The clothes still had that laundered smell to them, it always reminded him of Bulma because growing up he often remembered her clothes smelling newly washed.

He frowned when he was unable to find a comb in any of the drawers in the sink cabinet. He shrugged and fixed his messy mop as best he could with his fingers. A strand kept popping up, much to his frustration and he spent a few seconds trying to flatten it to no avail. Giving up he left the bathroom. Biana was sitting at the table, coffee already brewed and in a cup for him. She was pouring sugar and cream in hers.

"I think we might need more creamer before tomorrow."

"You must use a lot then." She stuck her tongue out in answer, wincing when the hot liquid burned her. "Blow on it or wait to drink it. That's what Mother always told me to do."

"I know that, I just don't like waiting."

"Impatient sort huh?" He smiled at her annoyed look. "I bet Noah and Jeremiah are having fun. Probably been a while since they've seen other kids."

"I guess, I'm just glad Noah's gone for a while. He's getting on my nerves."

"I could tell."

"Oh the genius Super Saiyan could tell, could he?" She rolled her eyes and used the fan to cool herself down. "It's so damn hot today."

"I noticed. Where did you get the fan?"

"I asked the maid when I saw her earlier if they had air conditioning. No such luck but she did give me this. You were sweating in your sleep and kept moving around. Jeremiah was worried about you and wanted to wake you up but I told him not to bother."

"Have anything planned today?"

"Trying to sell the few things I've got left. So far no takers for the brooch or harmonica. What are you going to do?"

"Haven't really thought about it. I was considering looking for some parts, Mother would appreciate it, not much else planned though."

"We should figure out what to do with Noah and Jeremiah."

"Right. This is a nice town," he said, walking over to the window and looking out. People were hurrying to work and appointments. Most of the buildings were still being repaired, the scaffolding stark reminders of the past tragedy but at least this town still had electricity and water which was more than most could claim.

"It's pretty overcrowded though and I heard a vendor yesterday say they are suffering from food shortage. I even saw some thugs in the downtown area too. Other than that I bet it's all rainbows and laughter." How quickly factors like food shortage and over population could cripple a booming town in this time, he'd seen that happen and then people would start rationing, fear and desperation would kick in, and thugs would start taking over and all hell would break lose and they would be back to square one.

"Nothing is ever as it seems," he stared out at the street. Parents hurried children along, leisurely walking couples kissed and held hands, and businessmen walked, ears pressed to phones and mouths moving rapidly. In the relative joy or indifference of their faces he could imagine the hidden fear. He could see the brown suited businessman dropping his phone and gaping at him in horror, could see the couple drawing closer in fear as they wished for another moment longer together, could read the protective emotions on the mother's face as her son strained against her grasping hold. He could easily see the struggles they might have faced had the Androids attacked now and all walked a little faster and took more precarious around them, aware that a world without the Androids was still a dangerous place in this dreary reality.

"Trunks?"

"Huh?"

"You were spacing out," she said, concern etched into her mouth and brow.

"Just thinking," he sat back down. His coffee had cooled down and he drank, savoring the creamer. It was a luxury since refrigeration didn't work in most towns. "I forgot how much I like creamer."

"I know," she grinned, "I always hated black coffee, but I got use to it. I'm surprised they have such a surplus of it here."

"Me too," he said back. "They've been lucky here."

"I'm sure it was a struggle to keep this little haven alive."

"Likely," he agreed, sipping the vanilla flavored coffee. "When are you going out? I was thinking one of us should stay here for when Noah and Jeremiah come back. Better not to worry them unnecessarily."

"I can go out at any time. Do you want to go out for a while?"

"I was thinking about it. Sitting idle doesn't agree with me."

"Yeah hard not to notice, you didn't let me drive once the whole way here."

"I'm sorry, I just get restless."

"I think I'll take a bath while you are out." He finished his cup and stood. "Wait," she stood too and reached up and patted down his wayward hair. "That looks much better."

"Does it look that bad?"

"It just looks a little goofy on a big tough guy like you."

"I'll be back before three," he said, double checking his watch.

"Try not to bring anymore orphans back."

"I make no promises," she laughed with him as he grabbed his sword, his jacket he left because it was getting too hot for it. The walk out the building and into the downtown area was a pleasant stroll. He'd forgotten how nice it was to have actual sidewalks instead of rubble or uneven ground.

He smiled, remembering his first time in a big city that wasn't destroyed.

_Wow, he thought as he flew pass buildings, people, and cars. He'd seen skyscrapers with gleaming windows, cars with tops and some without, and gray sidewalks and black lined pavement in books but experiencing it was a different matter. _

_The skyscrapers were taller than his imagination had summoned and in such variety. Most were glass and metal boxes with spiraling pointed peaks, one was amazingly made of terracotta colored tiles, and some also appeared black though he swore his eyes were deceiving him. The cars physical diversity was staggering as well though he was less amazed at this. He'd seen a few cars over the years, mostly when he entered recently attacked places. Seventeen liked destroying everything else but he seemed to have a soft spot for certain vehicles._

_When he reached the rocky barren habitat he found that beautiful too. There were so much awe inspiring things in this world. How had the Androids dared to destroy it all? He was angrier than ever about the destruction they'd done and he was determined to make sure it never happened in this reality. When he saw the crater ahead he panicked, afraid that the Androids had already started their rampage and the Earth's defenders hadn't stood a chance even with three years of training. He was relieved and puzzled when he saw the unknown Android's head. What was going on?_

"Watch out kid," a man bumped into his shoulder and flipped him the bird as he passed him. He thought about apologizing but after that rude gesture decided against it.

He walked through the streets and the further away from the downtown area he got the less people he saw until he was alone, eventually found himself facing a boarded up block. Why was this part blocked off from the rest of the town? He opened up a crack to slip through in the barricade and found the other side was crumpling houses and collapsed skyscrapers. Some people roamed the streets, dingy as the scenery around them.

"Hello?"

"Go away!" One woman hollered at him, her gnarled teeth, holey clothes, and frayed hair a saddening sight.

"Why are you on this side of town?"

"Get out of here," this man held a bat, a menacing figure even in his used clothes and wild hair.

Trunks backed away, not wanting to start any trouble, and went back the way he'd come. He wondered why those people had been so hostile and in such poor state as he strolled past well-kept houses. Strange that they hide that side of the town away and what did it mean? Why isolate those people and keep them in such a degraded state?

He stopped outside a big, white building. It was clearly the administrative building of the region and only one side was still being remodeled. He walked up the steps and entered. Inside were white and grey marble columns, granite staircases, and fanciful frescoed walls. The lights and the gold leaf all over gave the place a warm honey glow. Trunks paused at the entrance, admiring the architectural wonder of the building.

"Do you need something?" He turned to see a woman in her late thirties. She was dressed in a red suit and holding a clipboard.

"Not really. Just looking around."

"I can tell you are new here. I'm Laura Melrose, secretary to the mayor. Welcome to Basil Town."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Trunks."

"Don't you have a last name Trunks," asked the heavy set man who came out of the same door as the secretary. "I'm the Mayor of Basil Town, George Bloom."

"I'm Trunks Briefs."

Laura looked started, "As in the Briefs who started Capsule Corporation?"

"Yes, that was my grandfather."

"I had no idea any of them lived."

"I've gotten that before. My mother Bulma is the only one left besides me. My grandfather and grandmother died some years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," the mayor said. "We are having a bonfire celebration in a few days if you care to join us."

"I might do that." The secretary pulled off a print from her clipboard and handed it to him. It showed the date and time of the event and the picture of a big wooden bonfire being constructed.

"It would certainly be my pleasure to introduce you to some of the leading engineers of our town. Would you mind meeting them at the event?"

"I guess."

"That's very kind of you."

"It's not a big deal. I don't have much else to do."

"I just hope the bandits don't attack and ruin the festival," she gave the mayor a worried look.

"Bandits?"

"Some ruffians have taken to living on the outskirts and coming in and attacking people. It's just awful."

"Don't you have a police force?"

"We did but most of the bandits killed them. We have a small station left a block down the street, but it's severely understaffed."

"You can't recruit people to help defend the town?"

"No one wants to fight bandits," the mayor shook his head, gray hair moving slightly as he did. "It's a sad situation for everyone. We thought the festival might lighten the mood of the residents."

"I see." He folded the flyer and tucked it into his pocket. "Maybe I can talk to your police officers and see what I can do."

"You think you can help us?"

"I don't know. It's worth a shot." Trunks sighed, for once wishing he could leave things be but Gohan and Bulma had taught him that if he could help he had to. The station was indeed down the block. It looked like an old factory building with only a few small windows, the word police was haphazardly spray painted across the building in black. He entered. Inside were two rows of seven desks with a makeshift training mat and target dummies erected in the back. All the desks were paper littered and unoccupied.

He frowned, picking up a piece of paper off the first desk. It was a police report about some abuse call.

"Can I help you?" He turned to see a woman with a group of men. They were obviously the officers given their uniforms. He set the paper down.

"I thought I could help you. How many officers do you have?"

"Why would we tell some strange kid?"

"The mayor sent me. I'm Trunks Briefs and he told me you are understaffed─."

"A new recruit?" The woman stepped forward, extending her hand. He shook it as she said, "I'm Camilla Reyes."

"Nice to meet you. I'm not a recruit though. I am curious about the people on the other side of the barricade and the bandits."

Camilla explained, "They were flooding the town two years ago so the current officers with permission from the mayor pushed them to the fringe where everything was still destroyed and sealed that part of town off."

"How do they get food, water, medicine?"

"I imagine they scavenge." He was horrified at hearing this. How could they treat other people like they were nothing? The exact way Frieza, Cell, and the Androids did?

"Don't you think that's a little inhumane?"

"We weren't a part of the police force until after that went down. We had no say in what happened," she clarified, looking away from him as she answered. It was clear she and the other officers present didn't want to take responsibility for what had transpired.

"But you permitted it to continue?"

"That wasn't our call. The mayor enacted the law that anyone of that sort be relocated there to preserve the rest of the town and keep the population from swelling uncontrollably."

"How do you decide who gets sent there?" His horror was increasing the more they spoke.

"Criminals like thieves, miscreants, rapists, that sort."

"So it's like a jail sentence?"

"Pretty much," she shrugged noncommittally.

"Are people allowed back into the town? I mean thievery isn't the worse crime in the world."

The officers exchanged glances, "The mayor would have to decide something like that. I don't think he would approve of letting any of them back in."

"You have bandit troubles right?"

"Yes, they are a great problem."

"No one will sign up for the police either?"

"Yes."

"How about asking the criminals that had light sentences like thieves to work for the police? That way they would have food, proper shelter, and the like and you'd get another hand to help take care of the bandits."

"Did the mayor send you here to tell us that?"

"No, but it's a good idea."

"I don't know," Camilla crossed her arms. "How can we trust the people we bring back over won't continue being criminals?"

"Keep an eye on them if you are worried, but I saw what it's like on that side, I'm sure most of them would jump at the chance to get out of there."

"I think that's a good idea," one of the men said, "We need the staff."

"We should talk to the mayor about this first," Camilla said. "Joey and Daniel, stay here incase anything happens."

"He's at his office, I was just there."

"Right." They went back to the building from earlier and went to the mayor's office. Laura greeted them with a smile and led them immediately to the mayor. George smiled and waved them into seats. Most of the officers had to stand. Trunks explained his idea as the mayor listened attentively. Camilla made a point of the lack of police officers and the fear of the bandits.

"Bring the criminals back into the town? Are you nuts?"

"It's the only option. Not only could these criminals make up for what they've done they would do it in the service of the town."

"It sounds risky."

"It maybe but what alternative do you have? Bring the criminals back and try and redeem them or let the bandits overrun the town? You must realize the bandits will get more daring every time they aren't opposed."

"But to bring them back─."

"The choice isn't mine, it's yours, but I suggest for the sake of this town you do the right thing." He stood and walked out, Camilla followed him outside.

"Where are you staying? We might need to contract you."

"I'm staying at the Holus Hotel, I'm in room three forty."

"Thanks."

"No problem." When he arrived at the hotel room he was surprised at the look Biana gave him when he walked in.

"You've been gone all day," she snapped.

"Sorry."

"What were you doing without any money?"

"I was helping the town."

"Of course you were. You mind explaining what you are talking about?" He sat down and explained to her his busy day and pulled the flyer out to show her when she seemed skeptical.

"You know, one of these days helping everyone is going to come back to bite you in the ass."

"What makes you say that?"

"Good deeds rarely go unpunished."

"I don't care, I can't turn a blind eye to people who are suffering. I know those were criminals on the other side of that barricade but all I saw was scared, worried people. If I can help them and the town in the process that's a good thing. Maybe those bandits will stop attacking them and give up their ways too."

"You think way too optimistically for my taste."

"I blame my upbringing and friends. I'm not always hopeful and I have a hard time keeping optimistic, but Gohan would help these people so I'm doing what I can."

"That's nice of you I guess. I'm going out to get some money. Feeding those brats is a tough task."

"You all already ate?"

"Yeah, they stopped by to eat and took off again. I think Noah said something about the park."

"Have fun out."

"I will, I'll actually enjoy my time out." Trunks smiled at the implication he hadn't enjoyed himself.

* * *

"This bonfire is going to be awesome," Noah sounded enthusiastic as he jumped onto the bed.

"I can't wait," Jeremiah beamed.

"I hope it's huge. If it's small that will suck," Noah grabbed his brother and they started wrestling. Trunks watched in amusement as the two struggled against each other for dominance until Noah won out of sheer size and strength.

"I think it will be fun," Trunks agreed, "You two should stop messing around and get ready. Biana will throw a fit if we are late meeting her in the lobby."

"I get the first shower," Noah called as he ran to the bathroom. Jeremiah sat on the bed, kicking his feet back and forth and looking lost without his big brother. Trunks, leafing through a science magazine he'd bought, patted the spot next to him. Jeremiah took the seat and Trunks opened the magazine to a picture he thought would appeal to the boy. Jeremiah started asking questions immediately and Trunks answered them, amused at the boy's inquisitive nature.

Trunks ran his hand through the boy's curly hair, wondering if Bulma and Vegeta had given him a brother if he would have been as impetuous and precocious as Jeremiah. After a while he just laid there, nestled under his shoulder and Trunks wondered for a moment if he'd fallen asleep. When he turned his head to check he found Jeremiah wide awake, his face pinched with sadness.

"Jeremiah?"

"My mom use to read books to me." He ran his hand over the boy's head once more before standing. He picked Jeremiah up and swung him in a circle, remembering Bulma saying she'd done that when he'd been little. Jeremiah's pensiveness disintegrated into peals of laughter.

Noah came out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist. "What are you two idiots doing?"

"Noah!" Jeremiah shrieked as Trunks set him down, "My turn to take a shower, right?"

"Yeah."

"Cool," Jeremiah's enthusiasm over a simple shower was a bit much but Trunks could see that was just how he was about everything. The next few minutes was spent helping Noah pick out an outfit and getting Jeremiah into his when he finished taking his shower.

"This is going to great. I wonder how many girls will be there," Noah grinned, "Do I look good?"

"You look like an obnoxious brat, but that's just my opinion," Biana said testily. For whatever reason she hadn't seemed into the idea of going to the bonfire.

"Stop being a party pooper," Noah said with annoyance.

"Let's not fight," Trunks said, trying to keep them from tearing the other's head off. "It's a great night out. Not cold but not too hot either."

"Stop trying to mediate between us," Biana glared at him, "We can disagree if we want."

"Will they have candy?" Jeremiah asked.

"Possibly but I'm not paying for it. Can you imagine the prices?" Biana ignored Jeremiah's pouting on the way there.

The festival ground was packed with happy people. The bonfire wasn't lit yet but there was acrobatics and flame throwing. The mayor George Bloom was personally greeting people as they entered. When he saw Trunks he excused himself from the conversation he'd been in and came over.

"Mr. Br─."

"Please call me Trunks."

"I am so glad you could make it. That idea you suggested a few days ago has been implicated, though only on a small scale to test out the idea. I'm sure when people notice the police force being replenished they will start signing up for it."

"I'm sure they will."

"Are these your kids?"

"What? No, I…um…I'm taking care of them."

"That's very gracious of you. About those scientist and engineers I promised to introduce you to…"

"Yes, please lead the way." George's pleasure at the fact he still wanted to go through with his earlier agreement was not lost on him. There were three of them, a bald man, a middle aged woman, and a twenty something man.

"I'm so pleased to meet someone as great as you," the bald man fidgeted as he spoke. "Capsule Corp was a leading innovator of technology for years and if those damn Androids hadn't come would have doubtlessly continued to be a major competitor on the market."

"We still have a working factory here you know," cut in the charming woman. "Capsules are still a lucrative enterprise. My names─."

Whatever else she'd been about to say was cut short when the George Bloom took to the microphone. "I want to thank you all for coming this evening. It's because of this town's hard working citizens that this festival is a success and that our town has thrived. I want to congratulate every one of you and to give a round of applause to our officers in blue."

Trunks saw the man with the bat from the other day, dressed in a prime new uniform and looked close to tears. He had made the right decision by freeing them. The man saw him and smiled and Trunks gave a big thumbs up in his direction.

"I also want to thank Tak-Sushi Corp for providing food for this event. Also we have a DJ from Mixer Company for free. Now to get to the event you've been waiting for!" George stepped down from the small podium as three sets of women, men, and children approached with torches and set fire to the big wooden structure.

Trunks smiled as people around him oh and ah. This little journey, though sometimes tenuous and stressful, had been worth it to see this sight of joy.

"I can't see," Jeremiah whined. He picked Jeremiah up and set him on his shoulders. "It's beautiful!"

"Yes it is," and it was to see these people basking in the warm glow of the fire and smiling.

* * *

Trunks will return back to Pepper City after this and he will go back in time in the next few chapters. I'm just trying to finish the set up that forces him to go back. Also there will be fighting, I'm aware that's what a big portion of DBZ was and I don't intend to have a story without it like some do. I can understand some authors aren't good at writing fight scenes, I don't personally think I'm good at it myself, but DBZ was fighting so it does kind of surprise me when most of them lack that element.

Note: Holus Hotel-Holus means vegetable in Latin from what Google translate told me. I thought I'd tie in the fact every Saiyan is named after a vegetable.


	10. Chapter 10: Master Roshi and Kame House

_Trunks staring up into Gohan's face. He was leaning on his elbow, wearing a swimsuit and trying to tan. Trunks felt the warm sand against his back and sat up, rubbing off the grains that stuck to his wet form._

"_Gohan?"_

"_Yeah Trunks?"_

"_How come Chichi never does anything but nag?"_

_Gohan laughed, "I know she does do that a lot around you. She means well, she just feels like Bulma neglects you for the Time Machine, she thinks you need a mother's firm hand to keep you in line. The fact you come over here all the time makes her think Bulma isn't spending enough time with you."_

"_Oh," Trunks couldn't argue about Bulma's schedule, she was always Time Machine needs this part or I need to fix a few bugs._

"_Chichi can be a little…what's the word?" Gohan pressed a finger to his chin in thought, "Strict? That's her way of showing she cares. My dad was the lenient parent and laid back about everything, he was always saying I should do what I enjoyed, rather than studying all the time. Dad was always away, I got use to it being just Mom or Piccolo."_

"_I know he was away because he was protecting Earth and dead a lot but…didn't he miss you?"_

"_Of course he missed me, he wasn't gone because he wanted to stay away. I think he regretted all the times he missed out on because of that, but he wouldn't have changed it because that would mean Earth would be defenseless. I'm sure if Saiyans and alien overlords didn't exist Dad would have always been around."_

"_It just seems like Goku preferred fighting over being a parent."_

"_He enjoyed fighting, I won't deny that obvious thing, because of his Saiyan pureblood made his lust for battle and competition overwhelming. Vegeta was the same way, I would possibly say he was worse. There is also another way to look at it though. Without having trained his whole life Goku wouldn't have been strong enough to defeat Piccolo, help take out Raditz, Vegeta when he was evil, or Frieza. If he had slacked off in times of peace he wouldn't have won those battles. There were times peace came and he did less training, but he never stopped entirely. I always remember him training and telling me, "Gohan you train in times of peace because you have to, even if that means not having fun for an afternoon." He wanted me to enjoy life but he was also very serious about training and to make it seem funnier he'd often made games out of it."_

"_Goku sounds too good to be true."_

"_I know, but if you'd met him you'd love him too."_

"Trunks!" He opened his eyes to see an annoyed Noah peering at him through the rearview mirror. Biana had taken the wheel so he could get some sleep. That had been a pleasant dream and he half wondered if it was a forgotten memory he'd misplaced until now.

"What's wrong?"

"Your watch is beeping." He pushed his sleeve up to reveal the white watch Bulma had made him. He clicked a button and the beeping ceased, a screen opened up and he typed into it. This opened up the communication device Bulma had built into the watch. His mother had been trying to contact him, instead of her face though Chichi came onto the hazy screen.

"Trunks? Finally!" She smiled in relief and then became angry. "I thought this thing was broken or Bulma was delusional. Why didn't you answer?"

"I was sleeping."

"Oh," she sounded unconvinced. "Where are you?"

"Heading back to Pepper City. I was actually meaning to talk to you. I've picked up two people on my travels and was─."

"Good for you. Listen I need you to pick up some medicine for me."

"Medicine for what? The nearest city is Pepper City and that's still a good hour away."

"I need some HV1204767."

"Why?"

"Bulma has a cough."

"You want me to go find her cough syrup? Can't Ox-King or you do it? I'm busy."

"No butts!" Chichi crossed her arms, "Don't you care about your mother at all? You're a terrible son! Gohan would do anything for me, he'd dote on me like a proper son!" Trunks knew she was trying to guilt trip him into it and bringing him up was a last ditch effort when he knew she hated talking to him, especially about Gohan.

"Alright Chichi, I'll do it. Not sure how successful I'll be, you know medicine is extremely hard to find. It took me and Bulma months to find Goku's cure."

"It's important."

"Fine. I'll call you back when or if I find it."

"I'll let you know if I need anything else," she didn't even bother to thank him as she fumbled with the device to turn it off. The screen went blank and Trunks was left wondering what the conversation was about.

"HV12…what was the rest? That sounds oddly familiar," Biana said.

"HV1204767. I've never heard of cough syrup called that before. Some reason I think Chichi's pulling my leg."

"You didn't ask about the kids."

"If I must get her this then I'll ask her when I drop it off."

"I hope she's okay with doing it."

"When we get to Pepper City there is a place I'd like go, I have some friends there and I'd like to check in on them. It might not be the safest idea at the moment but I have to make sure nothing has happened to them. I don't want them going to the place we usually meet at given how wanted I am. I don't doubt the gangs have already checked there looking for me and it's making me nervous."

"Okay." Hal's Lounge was lit up with candles when they stopped outside. "Stay with Noah and Jeremiah in the car. If anything happens you take off."

"Will do, be careful." He didn't point out how redundant saying that to a Saiyan fighting humans was, she knew that but was likely saying it automatically.

He was relieved at the sight of Melanie at the bar. He waved when she saw him and she waved back. He came over, "Surprised no one else is here."

"Declan and Valentina are out back with Lenny. Ever since you told them about ki they've been lifting weights and working out. Lenny was strong already since he was a bodyguard but he's sure put on some muscle since you were here last."

"I'm glad to see they are doing fine without me. Have you been training too?"

"A little, but Valentina is a lot better at fighting than me. I feel kind of self-conscience next to her."

"Don't be, it just takes time to get good."

"What have you been up to?"

"Lots of things. I found out Laburrak is after me too, they think they can bring me over to their side."

"There is no way you'd join them."

"I know. I should go out back and talk to Lenny and them. I don't think it's safe here since they are looking for me. I have a friend you guys can stand with."

"I don't know if Lenny will want to leave," she looked down at the counter top and he knew she didn't want to leave probably more than Lenny would.

"Walter would want you to be safe before anything else. Hal's will still be here when we come back."

"I don't know."

"Everything will be fine. My friend can teach you guys ki while I'm busy. He taught Goku so I trust him to improve your abilities too."

"Why can't you teach us here? You could protect us if anyone shows up and we wouldn't have to leave."

"I have somewhere important to go. Remember the Dragon Balls I told you about? I'm going to bring them back and use them to revive all those who have died recently, including Walter and then I'll wish you guys to all have ki abilities, but it might take a while. If it doesn't work out for whatever reason it's still a good idea if you all train, that will make learning ki much easier."

"Awesome," Melanie smiled. "I'll go anywhere if it means you can bring Walter back while I'm away."

"That's the plan."

"Go talk to Lenny."

"Right." Lenny and Declan were doing sit ups and Valentina pushups when he came out back. "Hey guys."

"Long time no see," Lenny said as he stopped. "We were kind of worried when we didn't hear anything from you."

"I'm fine. I have someone who might be able to help your training. I don't think Hal's is very safe either so I think it's a good idea. Before you ask I can't train you, I have something important to do in the meantime."

"Who is this guy that's going to train us?"

"An old family friend. He's a master in martial arts. His name is Roshi."

"Roshi? Weird name. Is he as strong as you?" Declan asked, standing up and wiped grass off.

"No, but he's the strongest human I know still alive."

"Really?"

"Yes. So what do you all say?"

"I've got nothing better to do, got no family to leave behind either so what the hell. Let's do this! I want to be able to blast the bad guys!" Lenny's enthusiasm made Trunks smile, he was going to find out just how hard it was to reach that goal soon.

"I want to fly," Valentina said with a grin, "I've always thought it would be great ever since I was a kid."

"Great. Get ready and I'll be back in a few. I've got to drop off a few friends." He went out to the car, Biana was reading through some booklet and Noah and Jeremiah were running around the car playing chase.

"That took forever," Biana said when he got in.

"Sorry about that, there was a lot to discuss with my friends inside. Where did you get that book from?"

"It's the hovercar's manual," she flipped the booklet closed and put it back into the compartment. Seeing his look of astonishment she added, "I was really bored. Better than listening to Noah and Jeremiah screaming swear words at each other while they played."

"What? Jeremiah too?"

"Learns from his brother," she shrugged and buckled in as he told the children to get in the car.

"Where are we going," Noah asked, leaning on the passenger's seat.

"Get off my seat," she snapped.

"I was wondering if you could look through the closest hospital while I transport my other friend's to Master Roshi's."

"For the HV1204767?"

"Yes."

"I guess I could. Are you taking them with you?"

"Not enough room."

"They better help find the cough syrup then."

"I just want to do what she asks so she'll take Noah and Jeremiah in."

"What?" Noah asked, looking hurt and angry. "You'll letting that nuts Chichi woman take care of us? I thought we were staying with you?"

"I would if I could, but the circumstances might take me away for a while."

"I don't want you to go!" Jeremiah looked like he was going to cry.

"Take you away where?" Noah patted his brother's arm as he asked this.

"It's complicated, but if it works it might be the solution to the gang infestation."

"Really?" Biana's surprised look morphed into concern, "Are you going to wipe the gang out?"

"Nothing drastic like that, I don't intend to kill a bunch of innocent people coerced into violence. I think of Declan and how he was forced to kill Walter by them and I can't see all of them as coldblooded unfeeling monsters like the Androids."

"Walter?"

"He owned this bar but was killed when Memorialia came looking for me. I wasn't there to save him."

"Well I hope your plan works," Biana said. The drive to the nearest hospital would have been treacherous to a person other than him, however his Saiyan abilities made maneuvering through the wreckage faster and considerably easier.

"How long is this going to take?" Noah glared at him in the rearview mirror, clearly upset over his leaving them with Biana.

"Two hours at least."

"That's not going Saiyan driving fast right?" Biana asked, hoping his clarification would reduce the speed.

"I calculated the speed into it."

"This guy must live pretty far away."

"He does. He lives on an island too which means I'll have to fly them all over by one or twos which is part of the reason it will take at least two hours."

"An island? All by himself?"

"He's got…friends."

"Oh? How does he get food?"

"He goes out and gets supplies. Sometimes I bring him stuff."

"Wait a second," Noah said, "what do you mean you are going to fly people to this island?"

"I forgot I didn't tell you," he admitted, feeling suddenly awkward. It wasn't an easy thing to explain.

"I'll tell them while you are gone," Biana said when the hospital came into view.

"Have fun," he said as he pulled over and they all unbuckled.

"So much fun," Noah rolled his eyes, "come on J, hold my hand, I don't want to get separated."

"Okay, big brother," Jeremiah smiled and took his brother's hand, seemly the happiest child alive. He waved goodbye to them, Jeremiah waved eagerly with his free hand and Biana gave a short wave. Noah didn't bother as he still seemed annoyed.

Trunks drove back to Hal's Lounge, pulling as close to the door as he could and honked. Hardly a minute later everyone came out and filled into the car. Lenny took the front passenger seat as he was biggest of them with Melanie, Declan, and Valentina squeezing into the back.

"So where did you go just now," Lenny asked, his bag in his lap as the trunk was full of the others things.

"To drop off some new friends. I'm picking them back up after this."

"Aren't they going to be taught by this Roshi guy too?" Melanie asked in confusion.

"Two of them are children and the other…" He wasn't sure how to classify Biana, she clearly had no training and zero muscle. He supposed he could take her to Roshi's but he had a feeling she'd throw a fit about it.

"This other person isn't your girlfriend, is she?" Valentina leaned forward against the back of his seat, her slender elegant hand touching his arm. He shuddered at the intimate tone of her voice and felt his face go red at the idea that he had a girlfriend.

"I've never bothered to date," he corrected, "Biana is just some girl I picked up."

"Biana?" Valentina let him go much to his relief and crossed her arms as she sat back.

"A fling then," Lenny suggested with a chuckle.

"No. I saved her from some trouble."

"Mr. Saiyan to the rescue," Melanie said with a giggle, "that's just like you Trunks to save random people."

"And the kids?"

"Orphans I found in a hotel we stopped at."

"That's so sweet of you taking in children not your own," Valentina was still using that flirtatious tone. Trunks concentrated on his driving instead of the black haired beauty toying with him in the backseat.

Lenny tried to pick up a station but predictably none were still working. Melanie took a nap on Declan's shoulder and Valentina sat chatting up Declan in the back. Trunks was grateful for the calm of the ride, a moment to think through all that had happened the last few days.

He still had no idea what he was going to do about Noah and Jeremiah if Chichi turned them away and he was worried about how he'd handle things in the past. More than that he was worried about the children's psyche especially Noah's since he'd known about his mother's demise. There was Biana too, he knew he couldn't bring her with him to the past, but he was worried about letting her go back to Pepper City. Also if Perdita and Walter came back would they remember being dead? Would Walter blame him and would Perdita be affected emotionally by her death? These past traumas and future events kept his mind preoccupied as he drove.

"Trunks?"

"Yeah?"

"Does this Roshi have a big house? I refuse to share a room with Declan or Lenny. If I must I can share a room with Melanie, but I'd really love my own room." She touched his arm again, her eyes beseeching him in the rearview mirror, her lips puckering playfully.

Trunks averted his eyes from hers, "I honestly don't think Roshi's is big enough to allow everyone their own accommodations."

"I suppose I can share with Melanie."

"What I mean is it's a one bedroom house. I know from experience Roshi keeps futons on hand for guests and has a couch one of you can crash on."

"I really hope you're joking," Valentina gave him a pleading look.

Lenny laughed and said, "I think it will do you some good to not be pampered."

"I'm not pampered. I'm just use to having my own room."

"I suppose a former prostitute would be," Declan added.

"Didn't I tell you not to bring that up?" She fumed, crossing her arms and glaring out the window.

"At least you aren't a murderer," Lenny said, giving Declan a reproving glance.

"Let's not fight," Trunks had hoped the tensions between Lenny and Melanie towards Declan had lessened by now. He surmised that was probably a long shot. "If you are going to criticize Declan for murder you'd have to do the same for me."

"There is a difference between killing innocent and bad people," Lenny pointed out, voice strained with annoyance. He watched the road in front of them and fell quiet, in the back Valentina was still upset over any mention of her former vocation and Declan was staring wordlessly at the floor.

Trunks sighed, grateful at least Melanie was asleep and unable to add to the stifling tension. He checked his watch as the beach came into view. Roshi's was just beyond, not visible yet but he had marked the coordinates on his map. He pulled over and Lenny woke Melanie who made a disgusted face when she realized she'd been sleeping on Declan's shoulder.

"So where is it?"

"It's on an island. I have to fly you all over. I suggest we go in twos, that way it won't be too uncomfortable. Lenny and Melanie want to go first and then I'll stop by and get you too?"

"That works," Declan said as he sat in the sand. Valentina went back into the car, complaining about how she didn't want to get her outfit full of sand.

"We'll be back," he said to Declan as Melanie wrapped her arms about his waist. Lenny looked uncertain when he prompted him to climb onto his back. It was awkward for sure and Lenny's knee was painfully placed at first, but some shifting and they were in semi-decent positions.

"What's this Roshi guy like?" Melanie asked, her voice amplified by how close she was to his ear.

"You are right in my ear."

"Sorry."

"That's better, thanks. Roshi's…" What was a good description of the old master? Trunks could think of several suitable one's, mostly derogatory given the man's lecherous ways, but Roshi's mentoring of Goku and all the help he'd provided afterwards to the Saiyans had been invaluable. Goku had found a refuge in Kame House during his illness and for that Trunks had to give Roshi some credit.

"Yeah, you did seem to think he could train us better than yourself so he has to be a marvelous guy."

"Well…Roshi…is…he has his faults and he has a certain weakness for pretty females, but he's a great trainer and dedicated to Earth's survival. He was a great friend of Goku's and if Goku trusted him than I believe he can do the job."

"Who is Goku?"

"He was the greatest fighter I've ever known. You two think I'm powerful well he blew me out of the water! My father Vegeta spent his whole life trying to outdo Goku, but Goku Son was always one step ahead, always training and learning from previous battles. He was a true Saiyan that should be envied for his prowess, but Goku was also a man of strong indomitable spirit, determination, and goodness. He was the very epitome of a hero."

"A hero like you?" Lenny shifted uncomfortably as he spoke.

"I wouldn't call myself a hero. A hero never fails and even when they get knocked down Goku would rise again, stronger and more determined than before. He always found a way to overcome his enemies even one's initially stronger than him and I admired him for that."

"He sounds unbelievable."

"Gohan said the same thing and until I'd met Goku I couldn't fathom him existing, but there he was, able to defy everyone and always with a grin."

"Gohan?"

"My mentor…he was Goku's son."

"You were using past tense," Melanie said after a moment of quiet, "Is Goku and Gohan…"

"Dead yes."

"How?"

"The Androids."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It's fine." Saying those words felt unnatural after they rushed out unthinkingly, he hadn't meant to be dishonest but admitting the stark truth out loud gave it life. In his mind he wanted to be over their death's, Goku's had been over seventeen years and Gohan's over seven and yet inside he still missed them and admitting that in his mind was hard, but saying that would only magnify the reality of it. Seeing Goku in the other reality had bought him a renewed sense of hope and joy and Gohan had been his only friend growing up for years and for a time his mentor. Trunks couldn't bring himself to abandon Gohan's and by extension Goku's memory and be fine with their deaths. He wasn't quite sure what was holding him back from letting go of Gohan, but now wasn't the time to analyze that.

"Trunks? Is that it?" Kame House was painted in bright red across the pink exterior of the two story home. The place was exactly as he remembered it, the last time he'd been here was to tell Roshi of Gohan's unfortunate passing.

"_Master Roshi?" The old man, sunglasses on and wearing a patterned shirt appeared in the doorway, looking no older than Trunks had ever seen him._

"_What brings you here Trunks?"_

"_Gohan."_

"_Gohan sent you? That's a surprise. Why didn't he come himself? We could have shared a story or two about Goku, Krillin, or Piccolo… What's wrong?" The man wasn't senile, his mind as adept as always at picking out troubled emotions._

"_Gohan…he was killed by the Androids."_

_Roshi was silent, not moving as Trunks watched anxiously for some kind of reaction. A full ten heartbeats pasted before Roshi said, "Ah well…" The words were still lodged in his brain years later not because they were particularly profound but the tone, the same one he'd expect a father might have when speaking about his deceased child, still haunted him to this day. Roshi turned away from him then, taking his sunglasses off at the entrance and dropping them into the bright sunlight sand. One hand was lifted to his face and Trunks though unable to see the man's aged face had a feeling the old master was doing more than wiping something out of his eye._

"_Master Roshi…I'm sorry…there was nothing I could do." The man said nothing in response, just went slowly inside and shut the door. Trunks waited uncertainly a moment, wavering between going inside or leaving. In the end he left, not to return to Kame House until long after._

He squinted at the palm tree blowing ever so slightly in the weak breeze. The yellow sand was deepening under his weight. Lenny climbed off and Melanie let go of him. He found himself wondering if burdening Roshi with this was really something he should do. The doubt was eating at him but Melanie and Lenny's expectant faces made the decision. He couldn't turn back now, this had to be done for Earth's sake.

"Master Roshi?" He knocked on the door, awaiting a response from inside. To his dismay none was forthcoming. He pushed the front door opened, "Sorry to barge in like this? It's me Trunks." Master Roshi wasn't inside nor were Oolong or Puar from the looks of the small living and kitchen space. He checked the bedroom and the bathroom. No one inside either of them.

"Master Roshi?" He yelled as he left the house.

"Is he not here?"

"I don't know, Lenny." He walked around the house, finding the old man passed out on a fold out chair. A magazine lay opened in the sand beside a glass of lemonade Trunks remembering drinking every time they visited Roshi's growing up. Roshi was the only person aside from Bulma and Chichi would Gohan could swap stories with so the two had often ended up here.

Oolong was snoring underneath the shade of the house, a blue blanket underneath him. Puar had his head resting on Oolong's leg, talking feverishly in his sleep. Something that sounded suspiciously like Yamcha came out as Trunks walked over. He tapped them both and Oolong woke up first, giving him an annoyed glance before closing his eyes again.

"Not funny Puar," Oolong mumbled, "Why pick wimpy Trunks anyway if you are trying to scare me? Would've been better as a ghost Goku."

"It's really me, Oolong," Trunks said, irritations rising when the pig kept ignoring him.

"Prove it," Oolong opened one eye, looking miffed at being awaken.

"Puar is right there." Oolong blinked several times, looking confused. "I've come to see Master Roshi."

"I'm surprised you bothered to come visit us. It's been what? Eight years?"

"Almost. How's life been? Master Roshi alright?"

"If you are asking he's still a pervert."

"No surprises there. How's Puar been?"

"Eh," Oolong shrugged and closed his eyes, "Can I resume my nap? Why'd you wake me anyway? Isn't it Roshi you came to see?"

"What? I'm not allowed to see how you are doing?"

"You never cared before," Oolong stifled a yawn, burying his face into Puar's furry head. "Night, monkey boy."

"I cared," Trunks crossed his arms, slightly vexed as he stood and went over to Roshi's chair. "Master Roshi?"

"Is that a cat?" Melanie asked in surprise as her and Lenny came over.

"Puar? Not exactly. Puar can shapeshift into one I imagine, oh so can Oolong probably."

"Puar and Oolong?"

"Oolong's the pig."

"Why does this old guy have a pig and a cat? What do you mean shapeshift?"

"I mean they can transform into people and inanimate objects. It's pretty useful at times."

"You were being serious? Can we learn that?"

"I don't believe people can."

"That sucks."

"Sorry Lenny."

"What's with all the talking, I'm trying to snooze," Master Roshi snapped his eyes open, picking his sunglasses off his lap where they'd fallen and putting them on. "I was having the most wonderful dream about a naked ballerina."

"Hello again Master Roshi."

"Oh Trunks…" Roshi squinted at him, "You aren't Oolong screwing with me, are you?"

"They are sleeping over there. I take it Oolong and Puar shapeshift a lot and mess around given Oolong said the same thing when I woke him."

"Oolong does it more often to annoy me but Puar likes to strut around and pretend he's Yamcha or Goku every so often. Very heart attack inducing," he sat up, picking up his magazine and lemonade.

"How've you been Master?"

"I've been great, would be even better with some cute girls─." He stopped midsentence at seeing Melanie. "You bought your girlfriend with? You dog! She's a babe!"

"She's fifteen Master Roshi and not my girlfriend," why was everyone jumping to conclusions today?

"Don't give me that look! I'm only assuming because you never bother with girls. You aren't gay, are you?"

"What? No!" Trunks face went even redder than it had been a second ago. It was one thing to say he had a girlfriend but another entirely to say that. He'd definitely preferred the other assumption.

"Actually I'm fourteen," she said, laughing at Trunks embarrassment.

"I don't care how old you are," Roshi said with a grin. "I'm Master Roshi and you are?"

"Melanie Greenwich."

"Ah Melanie, what a perfect name─."

"Stop hitting on her you old lecher," Trunks grabbed the back of Roshi's shirt and threw him back into the folding chair. "Now I have a favor to ask of you."

"A favor? No way unless you let me keep talking to the young lady."

"Not on your life. However," Trunks reached into his pocket and pulled out the rolled up magazine he'd found at the hotel. "I found something you might enjoy."

"What edition is it!" Roshi examined the cover greedily, hand inching towards the naked woman's tits. Trunks pulled it out of the man's reach. "What do you want me to do?"

"I have some friends I need you to train. If you do that I'll give you this magazine."

"I haven't had a new edition in so long, the others are so worn out…" Roshi gave an agonized sound, "do I really have to train them?"

"Yes and two others that I need to pick up. Do this for me and I'll give you this?" When Roshi seemed undecided Trunks flipped through the magazine and showed him what he was missing.

"Fine," Roshi grabbed the dirty magazine, hugging it excitedly before rising and disappearing into Kame House with it, chuckling gleefully as he went.

"You aren't really leaving us with this guy?" Melanie's worried look was understandable.

"I promise he won't try anything. If he does he'll have one angry Saiyan to deal with," he made sure he spoke loud enough so the pervert could hear him. The quick page turning and crackling from inside stopped a brief moment before resuming.

"You always have me here, Melanie, I won't let him lay a finger on you."

"Thanks."

"I'm going to get the others," he flew into the air, going faster than he had with Melanie and Lenny onboard. He hadn't wanted to frighten them by going too fast but without them hanging on he flew over the water at top speed, sanding the water into the air by the force of his passing. He laughed when the water showered onto him, damping his hair and cooling him down from heat. Everything was falling into place with Roshi and the training.

"That took way longer than I thought it would," Declan said when he landed. The man had built a small sandy pile out of boredom and Trunks had destroyed it when he'd landed.

"Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it."

"Time to go."

"Great," Valentina looked pleased as she slid her arms around his waist. "You are way buffer than you look, Trunks."

"Thanks," he answered this uncertainly, not sure if she was hitting on him or not. She winked and Trunks looked anywhere but at her.

"Hold on tight."

"I will," she smiled.

"Give it a rest, Val," Declan said with annoyance.

"It's none of your business," she shot back.

"Let's just get you two to Roshi's." The ride was pleasant enough, minus Valentina's occasional flirtatious remark and Declan's reprimanding. He had a feeling Declan was more invested in Valentina's behavior than was normal for a disinterested party, but he didn't think too much on it, Declan could have just been more prudish than he thought.

"Roshi's house is small," she sounded disappointed.

"Apparently you weren't listening."

"I know but I was hopeful," Valentina growled at Declan's sarcasm. "Thanks for dropping us off, Trunks." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. He blushed, surprised at how soft her lips were and embarrassed because Declan was there to see it.

"I have to go."

"So soon?" Valentina grinned, pleased at his flustered response.

"Yes. I'll drop in occasionally to see how things are going," he waved goodbye to everyone before taking off. He was grateful to be away from Valentina. She was pretty and the kindness he'd seen her display made her an ideal mate for any lucky human, but Trunks had more important things on his mind than getting a date. He had responsibilities which extended far beyond the normal man his age and he didn't have time or the drive to be involved with a woman at this point in time.

Maybe in a few years when the world was on the path of rebuilding but not with all the weighty problems at hand. He knew as the only remaining Saiyan he'd have to eventually have children or their race would be extinct but that responsibility was one he felt he could put off for a few years yet. Bulma's constant pressuring was a reminder he hated and now with all the talk of girlfriends he felt that same sense of annoyance. He didn't have the time, how hard was that for everyone to understand and why didn't they leave him alone? It wasn't that big a deal anyway so why was everyone determined to know who he was dating?

He frowned when he landed on the beach, staring out into the blue waters. The last light lit the water and the sun was sinking, casting purple and orange over the sky. There was so much beauty in this world, how could everyone focus on the triviality of dating when compared to the fact that a year ago the world had almost been destroyed and all its beauty lost?

The cities and some of country had been ruined but the bites that remained were too marvelous to lose and he was determined to see the fighting come to a conclusion before all the beauty left was tarnished by the violence of humans. This was his Earth and he was going to defend its natural beauty with all his strength. What was a woman in comparison to that? It wasn't just the people of Earth he wanted to save, but the fauna and flora and in time maybe he would succeeded in doing that at least.

* * *

When I first starting writing this story I had no idea I'd include so many flashbacks. The dream sequences I sort of planned a little bit, I figured Trunks would be messed up somewhat from the Android ruled timeline and it did sort of seem like he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the anime. I honestly thought I'd have the occasional Gohan flashback but they just keep popping into my head and demand to be written :) I like writing them and I hope you guys enjoy reading them too because I'm sure I'll keep incorporating flashbacks.

Also I sort of was poking fun at the gay Trunks theorists out there. Towards the end of DBZ it's stated by Trunks himself that he has a girlfriend in the crowd, even if we aren't shown who it is. When it comes to pairings I hate unrealistic ones like oh I don't Goku/Vegeta because canon wise they are heterosexual. Same reason I sort of don't like Goten/Trunks or Trunks/other male cast member. If Trunks was gay and Goten too (we know he isn't if you think GT's canon) then I might ship them as it however I don't. I don't like mashing two favorite male characters together just because the writer finds them attractive. I don't care for Pan/Trunks either because of the age difference and Trunks seems to view her as a sister rather than in a romantic way. Too many writers are like "omg I wish GT Pan and Trunks happened," but disregard the fact that's pedophile or change the ages as an easy copout. I actually think Pan/Trunks might be interesting if Pan was 18 if only to see their families 'wtf' expressions when it got out. Maybe a well written Pan/Trunks might change my mind but the one's I've read so far haven't moved me. The only pairing I can see is Trunks/Marron because they are close in age and we know Trunks is heterosexual. Otherwise Trunks/OC if it's well written or you know Trunks being single is fine by me. I just can't get beyond the other pairings because it's too OOC and I prefer realistic settings.


End file.
